Dubai recognizes first line of defence with medals

In an outpouring gesture of gratitude, the Dubai Sports Council (DSC) has decided to honour the hard, unrelenting work of the ‘first line of defence’ in the UAE.

The Dubai Sports Council has issued a special commemorative medal to recognize the special efforts put in by common people from public and private institutions and departments, including the Police, Emergency, Road and Transport Authority, Municipality, Civil Defence, Health, Ambulance Services, Airport authorities and everyone who toiled day and night to ensure the safety of the community at large during the unusual weather earlier this week.

Chaos ensued after the country witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 75 years, with some areas recording more than 250 mm (around 10 inches) of rain in less than 24 hours, last Tuesday. The rainfall which flooded streets, uprooted palms and trees and shattered building facades, has never been seen in the Middle Eastern nation since records began in 1949.

Everyone was affected as traffic came to a standstill, flights were cancelled and offices and schools closed leaving common people stranded in the middle of their daily routines.

However, the country rose united and responded as one as staff from various agencies and departments, including the Police, Emergency Services, Road and Transport Authority, Municipality, Civil Defence, Health, Ambulance Services and Airports authorities ensured that minimum damage is done to people and property.

These workers have all united under one common focus of humanity and continued to strive under extreme pressure to put back Dubai as one of the top cities in the world.

And now, the Dubai Sports Council wants to now appreciate the great and tireless efforts and dedication to work by this rare community of people operating on the first line of defence.

Each medal to be handed out to the first line of defence personnel will include an embossed logo of the Dubai Sports Council along with the words of gratitude: ‘To you, our hero’. The Dubai Sports Council will now identify these people who have assisted the community during the past few days and hand out medals during various sporting and community events held at various venues in the near future.

It is not for the first time that the Dubai Sports Council has embarked on a rather unique gesture like this one. The DSC has in the past issued special medals a couple of years back in recognition of the valuable work done by the first line of defence during the Covid-19 period.