UAE designates September 9 as annual Emergency Number Day to promote responsible use of 999

Dubai: The United Arab Emirates has established September 9 as “UAE Emergency Number Day” to encourage residents to reserve emergency services for genuine crises and utilize alternative channels for non-urgent matters. The Ministry of Interior, working in tandem with Dubai Police and police forces nationwide, launched this initiative on Wednesday under the slogan “Every Second Makes a Difference”.

The campaign aims to minimize non-emergency calls to 999, enhance the quality of information provided by callers, and guarantee that emergency lines remain accessible for urgent situations. Authorities are emphasizing the differentiation between 999, reserved for emergencies, and 901, designated for general enquiries and non-emergency police services.

The campaign will engage various segments of society through multilingual awareness messages, detailing appropriate police assistance and the number to utilize based on the incident type. It also encourages callers to deliver precise and accurate information during emergencies, particularly their exact location and a clear description of the event.

Callers must cooperate with operators, answering their queries to aid operations rooms in assessing incidents, determining appropriate responses, and dispatching specialized teams promptly. Brigadier Abdulaziz Al Ahmad, Director-General of Central Operations at the Ministry of Interior, highlighted the significance of raising public awareness about the proper use of police communication channels through the designation of September 9 as UAE Emergency Number Day.

The slogan “Every Second Makes a Difference” underscores the critical value of time during emergencies and the pivotal impact of accurate information and prompt reporting on expediting responses and potentially saving lives. Al Ahmad stressed the campaign's objective is to cultivate a lasting culture of responsible emergency number usage, ensuring individuals comprehend when and how to seek assistance.

Brigadier Turki Abdulrahman bin Faris, Director of the General Department of Operations at Dubai Police, stressed that the accuracy of information supplied by callers is crucial for enabling rapid responses. He urged callers to furnish their location accurately, describe the incident thoroughly, and collaborate with emergency operators so operations rooms can gauge the situation and allocate the necessary personnel and resources efficiently.

The campaign will also spotlight the efforts of emergency call handlers, operations-room personnel, field teams, and support units in safeguarding lives and property. Bin Faris emphasized that public cooperation begins with using 999 solely for emergencies and 901 for general enquiries and non-emergency police services. "Every call made to the correct number enables emergency teams to reach those in need at the right time," he noted.

Police forces in Ras Al Khaimah managed 20,939 calls during heavy rains and floods, Sharjah Police dealt with 40,000 calls during adverse weather, Dubai Police responded to over 56,000 emergency calls in just four days during severe weather, and Abu Dhabi bolstered emergency readiness through a public awareness drive.