The Dubai Ambulance Foundation has announced its development of a marine rescue boat, built by Emirati hands, which will be the first of its kind in the world and operates on the "Intrax" system, as part of the foundation's preparations for hosting the global event "Expo 2020." The executive director of the foundation, Khalifa Al-Drai, stated to "Emarat Al Youm" that the advanced marine ambulance boat is being produced in cooperation with the Emirati company "Ocean Boats," featuring an innovative interior design that aligns with the development and innovation concept embraced by the foundation.
Al-Drai emphasized that in a rapidly changing world, the foundation is keen to keep pace with the latest technologies and tools that meet the aspirations of its leadership while preserving the concepts and terms associated with the Emirati heritage and national identity. He indicated that innovation in services is a top priority and goal for the foundation, ensuring that its ambulance fleet is equipped with the latest technologies and international standards in emergency services. He confirmed that the foundation is prepared to face crises and disasters at all levels, including emergency personnel, technology, and medical equipment, and possesses qualified technical teams capable of handling all urgent marine situations.
Al-Drai mentioned that the foundation has established a plan to launch eight marine ambulances in the coming years, covering eight common emergency response points among the Dubai Ambulance Foundation, the General Directorate of Civil Defense, and Dubai Police. He noted that the current boat has been named "Habl Al-Yeda." The boat is the second within the foundation's fleet for marine ambulance services, following the launch of the first boat stationed at Jumeirah - Fishermen's Port in March 2019, as part of the preparations for "Expo 2020."
He confirmed that the new boat's mission is to provide rapid response and emergency medical assistance to patients, casualties, and drowning victims in water bodies, preventing the exacerbation of their conditions with the help of rescue teams and trained personnel, providing treatment at the site, and transporting patients to the hospital if necessary.
The new boat, which will join the foundation's fleet, features medical equipment with international specifications, including the "LUCAS" device for automated cardiopulmonary resuscitation, an automated ventilator, an ECG machine, an advanced electric shock device, and a hydraulic stretcher designed to absorb shocks from high waves. It will also have a suction device and a patient medical reporting device "Caremoneex" connected to the operations room. Additionally, the boat will be equipped with a "Stik" device to determine its location at sea, allowing the foundation to monitor its movements offshore.
Al-Drai stated that the new boat will provide services in the "Blue Waters" area, catering to visitors of the "Expo 2020" coming from the sea and users of marine areas in the region. He added, "The foundation is working to develop the emergency medical care system, which is a national humanitarian responsibility carried by the staff of Dubai Ambulance. Therefore, we commit all resources and capabilities to save lives, and we are ready to provide the best emergency medical services to Expo visitors, not only through ground ambulances but also at sea."
For his part, the head of the Marine Ambulance Division, Zaid Al-Maamari, said, "Based on the directives of the executive director of the foundation, we have developed a comprehensive development plan that includes preparing and qualifying personnel to work in the marine environment, and they have been trained in swimming, rescue, and enduring various sea conditions."
New systems and tools have also been introduced in the new boat, such as the "Intrax" system, which distributes medical equipment inside the boat's cabin by hanging separate ambulance equipment bags on the cabin wall, making them easy to access and transport to the patient's location, thus saving time and effort in patient treatment. He noted, "We have handled 257 emergency cases in the past three years, and our goal is to cover all water bodies in Dubai to ensure rapid response to marine incidents."
The new boat measures 47 feet in length, 13 feet in width, with a speed of 60 miles per hour, accommodating up to 10 people and three engines with a total power of 900 horsepower. It features an air-conditioned cabin for patient comfort, equipped with side mirrors for safe navigation by the captain, and will possess high stability to reduce impact from high waves, an intelligent lighting system inside the cabin, a medical refrigerator for storing medications, and a restroom.
