Nada Al-Maddah Saudi Gazette MAKKAH – In preparation of the Islamic Solidarity Summit, Civil Defense units have intensified their presence in busy roads and streets of Makkah ready to quickly respond to any emergencies, said Col. Khalaf Al-Matrafi, director of Makkah Civil Defense. The units will be ready to provide rescue and medical evacuation services in the central area of the holy city, including the Grand Mosque and its courtyards and all roads, he added. There is around-the-clock coordination with concerned authorities to ensure that the activities of the summit go smoothly. “We coordinated with telecom companies to send SMS text messages to the Grand Mosque's visitors, urging them to avoid visiting the mosque when it is crowded,” he said. Over 12 million SMS messages have been sent so far to provide Umrah performers and visitors with information about parking lots and the situation inside the Grand Mosque. Eight huge screens have been installed in different locations to display educational messages. Roads monitored More than 200 state-of-the-art cameras will allow the Mina-based public security control room to closely observe the movement of Umrah performers and visitors in Makkah during the upcoming summit, said Maj. Gen. Muhammad Al-Shehri, commander of the control room. The control room is responsible for monitoring delegates' motorcades from the moment they leave King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah until they arrive at their accommodation facilities in Makkah. Cameras have been installed on the Makkah-Jeddah Expressway, inside the Grand Mosque and on all roads to be used by delegations, Maj. Gen. Al-Shehri added. The roads between accommodation facilities and the venue where the summit will be held will be under continuous surveillance, he said. Over 28,000 security personnel from the Royal Guard, National Guard and intelligence have been mobilized to ensure the success of the security plan.
