Over the past five years, the ROO Firefighting and Rescue Team has seen a huge modernization in terms of equipment, such as heavy-duty fire trucks, as a result of the ROO partnership. In tandem with this, the team has undergone extensive training, with the ROO HSE Fire Safety Management & Emergency Response (FSM&ER) Team working closely with members of the team to coach and mentor them on correct techniques and responses.

As a result of this, the team are now better equipped than ever to respond to serious incidents and are often called upon by other emergency response teams for support. Ahmed Maki Mshiri, SR Safety and Firefighting Section Superintendent, said: “I am so proud of the team for their quick and safe response to the incidents that have occurred over the past few years. The fact that other firefighting teams now call on them for support stands testament to their enduring professionalism, which ensures that they carry out their work in the right way with minimal risks. I am confident to say that the standard of work they deliver could match up to a firefighting team anywhere in the world.”

In addition to being on standby for callouts 24/7, the team has also lent its manpower to help the operation fight the spread of COVID-19. The team has undertaken tasks such as sanitizing between 75 and 80 operational sites, distributing PPE across the field.

Sameer Salim Al-Timimi, SR Safety and Firefighting Section Deputy Superintendent and SR Firefighting and Rescue Team Leader said: “I’m very proud of the team. Our work disinfecting sites across Rumaila has been completed alongside our primary duties of responding to emergencies, maintaining our firefighting equipment and carrying out regular tasks such as monthly inspections. My colleagues have stepped up in the recent challenging circumstances and have shown real determination and perseverance to carry out their duties and ultimately save lives.”