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UAE: Emirati woman firefighter sets the bar high for her peers

Ajman - Nouf Mohammad Al Ali has made sacrifice as the mission statement of her life

An Emirati woman firefighter, who works for Ajman Police's Civil Defence department, is breaking the glass ceiling with aplomb.

Nouf Mohammad Al Ali, who joined the force three years ago as part of the first 15 women firefighters in the UAE, has made a mark with her slogan: “protection, rescue, sacrifice”.

She has made sacrifice as her life’s mission statement, as she seeks to protect human lives and properties with hard work and dedication.

Nouf told Khaleej Times that it took her tremendous courage and self-belief to overcome stereotypical notions about a woman’s role in a society. She embodies women’s empowerment, which has been the mantra of the UAE’s wise and visionary leadership.

Emirati women have proven their worth in all walks of life and have stood by their male counterparts through thick and thin in nation-building.

However, firefighting is a walk of life that was hitherto barred for women and the restrictions were lifted three years ago. Nouf was happy to plunge into the challenge, as she and her colleagues are on standby 24x7 if a fire breaks out in Ajman. She knows that time is of essence when a fire breaks out. Human lives and properties can be saved if firefighters rise to the challenge immediately to douse a raging blaze.

She profusely thanked her male colleagues for helping her learn the tricks of the trade such as safety mechanisms in the initial phase of her nascent career.

She attributed her unbridled passion for the job that helped overcome massive challenges.

She recalled the initial days of joining the profession and how it was her dedication to serve the nation that made a difference to quickly get on with her job.

In retrospect, her three-year stint has been a satisfying experience, as she has managed to save several lives, including women and senior citizens, and properties.

She imbibed team spirit in the course of her challenging job, as the self-less nature of the task has been her biggest incentive to keep going day in and day out.

She has emerged as a professional par excellence. Her skills have honed and gotten better through the years because of her intensive military training along with fire-fighting abilities.

Emirati women like Nouf are an asset for a young nation such as the UAE, and others should emulate her feat.

afkar@khaleejtimes.com