Civil Defense in Madinah to mark World Civil Defense Day tomorrow

Under the aegis of Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman, the Civil Defense directorate in Madinah will launch the World Civil Defense Day celebrations at Rashid Mall tomorrow.
The Kingdom’s General Directorate of Civil Defense is participating in the World Civil Defense Day celebrated annually on March 1.
This year’s theme is entitled ‘The community’s participation and civil defense’, and includes a weeklong exhibition at Rashid Center with the participation of government officials and private establishments.
Special programs have also been scheduled for children, namely drama performances and various contests.
The Civil Defense will also display advanced equipment used for rescue operations and firefight drills. Fliers and booklets detailing safety and precautionary measures to be taken by people against various kinds of accidents and disasters will also be distributed at road intersections and hospitals.
Civil Defense officers will deliver awareness lectures on the steps to be taken in disaster situations. A team will visit kindergartens, schools, colleges and universities to explain about the role of the Civil Defense in serving the community.
Meanwhile, special voluntary female teams will visit girls’ schools, hospitals and female charity organizations.
Zuhair Al-Sabih, director of Civil Defense in Madinah, said the aim of celebrating this day is to raise awareness amongst all segments of society about the importance of understanding safety procedures and taking preventive measures against accidents and natural calamities. In addition, the director emphasized the need to focus on the significance of voluntary service in supporting the success of the Civil Defense.
The World Civil Defense Day, which was initiated through a decision made by the International Civil Defense Organization’s (ICDO) general assembly in 1990, is celebrated every year on Mar. 1.
The day commemorates the entry into force of the ICDO constitution as an intergovernmental organization in 1972 with two main purposes.
The first goal seeks to raise the attention of the international public to the vital importance of civil protection and the need to be prepared for self-protection measures against the event of accidents or disasters. The other goal is to pay tribute to the efforts, sacrifices and accomplishments of all the national service men responsible for defending and rescuing citizens.
Saudi Arabia has won a gold medal in recognition of the efforts of its government in rescuing and dispatching relief operations to various parts of the world to help against natural calamities.