Hajj Awareness

• Hajj Awareness

1) General guidance
2) Movies
3) Photo Gallery
4) Alertness messages
5) Publications
6) News report about pilgrimage

• General guidance

The government of Saudi Arabia is putting a lot of effort to serve the pilgrims and to ensure their safety and their property. This is one of its main goals appointing it to the Ministries that have a relation with this issue. Then comes the civil defense through his goals and functions to be an equipment for the Interior Ministry harnessing many of his human and technical mechanisms to achieve the safety of the pilgrims from fires and accidents, contributing with the Tawafa institute through supervising and watching the pilgrim’s camps and to provide tem with the appropriate safety and follow –up during the Hajj process. And it is involved in giving awareness to the pilgrims and the importance of applying the instructions for their own safety. The magnitude of this role and to keep up with what the government provides especially after establishing the new camps, so there is really a big job to do in order to reach the goal concerning the safety instructions and guidance in Hajj. The General Directorate for Safety and Fire in searching for the ways to develop awareness in Hajj, and that is shown through what thy learned from previous experiences in order to develop the future and through focusing on the necessary points:
1) The quality of instructions and how to deliver them to the pilgrims.
2) Follow-up and guidance to apply these instructions.
3) The role of Tawafa institute.
When these points are studied, we must take into consideration certain stuffs in which there is a direct dealing for some shortcomings that awareness lack, and that is shown through what some pilgrims do according to certain unconscious mistakes. And to fix this, the Tawafa institute and some pilgrims must follow-up in applying the instructions. And here are some points that we should take into consideration when we apply awareness in Hajj:
1) The season of Hajj is the largest human gathering in the world through the crowds of Muslim from different countries and nationalities and languages. So we must point to this during the preparation of the awareness article.
2) Some people went to Hajj only one time, and others more than once, so the awareness issue according to the style and substance must be easy with short words.
3) The accidents such as fire, ran over, sunstroke, sleep on roads and bridges, throwing wastes in non assigned places for them, gas cooking, smoking, and mountain climbing are the most irregularities that happens in Hajj.
4) The lack of awareness of the pilgrim about the mentioned dangers and the irregulatories that can happen in spite of giving him the instructions needed imposes a follow-up inside the Tawafa institute through electing reliable people to do this report on in order to appy th idea of safety for all, and to encourage them to make an effort in which they will be employed to transfer information and follow-up completion.
5) Develop and improve the means of raising awareness by using modern methods such as electronic and mobile screens.
6) There should be posters for the safety and to locate good places for them in the camps of pilgrims, written in the language of the camp citizens to clear to them the safety instructions and urges them to follow it during their presence in the camp and outside, as well as providing them with quality brochures outlets if they enter through the land, sea, or planes.
7) Study the naming and numbering of the streets and do mini- maps for each Tawafa institute in which it has been explained the nearest way from and to the camp for pilgrims even easier for them to go and return.
8) With what happened through development in the Holy Places concerning the abilities, camps, and services, it is important to make the pilgrim aware that all this is being made for him, and if he preserved it this is an evidence of his awareness.

• General guidance for pilgrims during their performance of the rituals:

We wish your Hajj will be accepted by God, and we ask you to complete Nsouk Al Hajj safely and secured, and a safe return to your country. When you learn and see the large number of pilgrims in e same form and are seeking for the same goal which is requesting for forgiveness and mercy, moving through the Holy Places at the same time in full keenness to complete their mission, and you are one of them
This requires from all of us to contribute in accomplishing safety during this period by following these instructions:
1) Remember that the Hajj season is one of the largest human gathering, Muslim crowds with different nations, nationalities, and languages are bound together for the same goal.
2) Avoid crowds during the circumambulation and the pursuit of the stoning ritual.
3) Hurrying in the performance of some ritual at the Hajj may cause you and the others stress.
4) It’s better to use the road especially for the walkers when you want to walk.
5) For your safety, follow the instructions of the security men during your traveling in the Holy because they will lead you to the nearest ways.
6) Avoid sitting or seeping in the entrance or exit of the walkers tunnels for your own safety.
7) Beware the risk of suffocation when you walk I the car tunnels.
8) For your safety act quickly and keep calm and tranquility.
9) Islam urges us to cooperate, so don’t forget the elderly and the children for they need your help.
10) Do not be affected by some unconscious individual behavior and prevent yourself from it.

• Guidance for the pilgrims during their presence outside the camp:

Welcome as a guest in the Holy Places, you came to request Allah mercy and forgiveness, and he is capable of that through making you able to perform the rites of Hajj and Omrah without troubles or hardship. So cooperated with us to achieve this by following the instructions during your journey outside the camp:
1) You should know the address of the Tawafa institute as well as the location of the camp.
2) Know the roads that lead to the camp as well to the entrance and exiting doors.
3) Avoid walking between the cars in he car tunnel, and always use the roads specialized for the walkers.
4) Sitting on the road when there is a stampede among pilgrims may cause you harm.
5) Usage of the umbrella to protect you from rain and sunshine is definitely a necessary thing for you.
6) Don’t take reasons so easily as f there is nothing, for maybe bad things will happen.
7) If you follow the services that are being put for your safety, it will preserve you.
8) Be careful while using the bus and avoid crowding out the others.
9) When you follow the instructions of safety does not mean that it affects your pilgrimage, for its being set for your and others safety.
10) Pave the way for the emergency cars in order not to hamper its work.

• Instructions for the pilgrimage during their presence inside the camp:

We welcome you and ask you to cooperate with us so you can perform your ritual in the best way. You an help yourself through voiding the causes of danger and to apply the means of safety. And if you encourage the other to follow these rules, you assure in that way safety. God will be with you as long as you help the others. Here is some of the instructions:
1) For your safety, do not ignite the flame sources only in the sites allocated for it (kitchen).
2) Know the emergency exits near to you and the roads leading to them.
3) It is necessary to keep the emergency passages cleared and freed from any obstacle.
4) If danger happens, act calmly and help the elders to get outside the camp.
5) Keep in mind that safety s the responsibility of all of us and you are considered to be an active element to in achieving it.
6) Use the services that are available at the camp in an appropriate way because it is being set to rest you.
7) Follow all the instructions that are been given to you inside the camp for your safety.
8) Be cautious when you smoke, and throw your cigarette in the special place after ensuring that you have put it off. (Smoking is harmful to health)
9) For your safety be sure to throw the waste in their specific place at the camp.

• Guidance to the pilgrims during crush:

1) Avoid the crowded places because this may lead to an unsatisfied end.
2) Over runs due to the increase of the pilgrimages at one time.
3) Exposure to the sunlight due to the overcrowding may lead to sun strike.
4) Crowding may hamper the passing process which will increase the percent of the gases emitted by the cars which may affect your health.
5) Crowding may hamper the passage of the emergency cars that have injured people on board that have to be transferred to the hospital.
6) Crowding may increase the number of the infected people if there was a disaster God forbid.
7) You must wear the medical respiratory muzzle to protect your respiratory system against harmful gases that are spreading in the air.
8) To gather at the same time in one location in the Holy Places may increase the number of death due to suffocation because of the lack of oxygen.
9) The gathering of the pilgrims at the same time makes it easy for tampering.

• Instructions for the pilgrims in the pedestrian tunnels:

1) When you enter the striders tunnels you must be careful not to sit in the tunnels, because this may hinder the movement of the pilgrimages, which in its turn may lead to run over accidents ad suffocation inside the tunnel.
2) When you notice congestion in the tunnel, you should wait a little to cross easily.
3) When you notice any emergency inside the tunnel you should no gather at the doo, but you should get way from there until the incident is over.
4) Don’t walk in a hurry in the tunnel because this may cause panic between the walkers. On the other and, don’t walk slowly because this may interrupt the motion in the tunnel.
5) In case of accidents you must take into consideration the instructions of the security men.
6) When you notice a problem inside the tunnel God forbid, you should inform the security men outside the tunnel to take the necessary procedures to solve te problem.
7) You should know the exit doors of the tunnel when there are overcrowding in there.
8) You should not set your things on the entrance and exit doors of the tunnels to avoid overcrowd of the pilgrims which may lead to a disaster for all of you God forbid.
9) Do not throw the wastes inside the tunnel because his will lead to deterioration in health as well as it impedes walking.
10) When you smell of rotten in the tunnel, you should acknowledge the security men outside the tunnel.

• Instructions for pilgrimage about car tunnels:

My dear driver:
1) You must follow the instructions if the security men about stopping your car at the entrance of the tunnel until he crowded vehicles inside the tunnel move.
2) You should fire out your engine when you are inside the tunnel in order to decrease the percentage of the ejected gases of the cars that may harm the pilgrims.
3) Inform the security men outside the tunnel in case of lack of commitments of the pedestrian concerning walking in their specific places.
4) In case there was fire in any car inside the tunnel God forbid, you should all quickly evacuate the vehicle and move outside the tunnel.
5) You should not park the cars near the entrance or exit doors of the tunnels because it will hinder the movement of the cars which in its turn will lead to the increase in the amount of the harmful gases ejected by the cars.
6) When you notice an unfamiliar situation inside the tunnel, you must directly inform the security men outside the tunnel.
7) You must repot about the stalled cars in the tunnel.
8) When there is an accident in the car tunnel, you must pave the way for the ambulance cars to get into the passageway.
9) To pass into the pedestrian cannel is through certain places to allow the walkers to walk.

• Directions to the pilgrims about wind and hurricanes:

1) When wind and hurricanes happen, you should follow the following orders to protect both yourself and your property:
2) Keep on listening to the weather forecast and to the instructions issued by the competent authorities.
3) Make absolute sure that your tent is well tight in order not to be blown down by the wind or hurricanes.
4) Hurry to extinguish the fire no matter what its source was in order not to cause fire in the near tents God forbid.
5) Quickly shut down the electrical power.
6) Store enough water in cleaned pots until things get back to normal before the disaster.
7) Save batteries and manual scouts for lighting.
8) Stay in your tent because the wind may be very strong, and in case there were instructions to evacuate so you should follow the order.
9) Keep away of the disaster area or you may impede the rescue operations.
10) Avoid standing near the bridges or the roads full of debris to prevent danger.
11) Avoid standing near the electrical poles and power lines that have been blown by the wind.

• Orders to the pilgrims in case of faults, cracks, and landing ground:

When you notice the presence of cracks or landing ground you should follow the guidelines:
1) Inform the nearest civil defense center.
2) You should not come near these places in order not to impede the rescue operation.
3) When you set your tent try to be far from the cracked places because these places may over go more cracks.
4) If you were asked to leave the disaster place, you should follow the request without hesitating.
5) If you notice an existing phenomenon of the existence of the cracks or that of new cracks or a damaged water system you should avoid it and inform the competent people.

• Guidance for the pilgrims in case of rock falling or during mountain climbing:

When there is a rock falling in the Holy Places, you should follow these orders:
1) Avoid going to the high areas in the mountain only in case your circumstances push you to do so.
2) Avoid walking on unstable rocks in order to prevent yourself from harm and also to avoid the pilgrims from the fall of these unsteady rocks.
3) You must inform the competent authorities about the rocks that may cause danger to the pilgrims due to its unnatural way it looks.
4) Do not set your tent on the sidewalks that are near to the high mountain in order to avoid the falling rocks from getting to you, your family, and your tent, and this because of the pilgrims movement or the rain.
5) Do not set your tent in high places or water cannels in order not to be facing the falling rocks when rain falls.

• Instructions for pilgrims about rain and floods:

When rain falls very much, you must apply the following orders:
1) Keep away from the natural water channels and valleys for when the rain stops, the water starts to move fro the high mountains.
2) Do not set your tent in or on the sides of the valleys in order to avoid the floods.
3) Do not set your tent at the water drainage down at the end of the street.
4) Try to go to the higher places.
5) Always follow the instructions given to you. So if you were told to move to certain places, so you should.
6) Be ready to leave the dangerous area when you hear the alarm or when you see a huge amount of rain falling.
7) Watch the roads, bridges, and the lowlands and try to be away from them.
8) Try to act quickly but in a calm way t protect yourself and your family.
9) If the level of water was above your knee, don’t pass the water stream on foot.
10) Be more cautious at night when it is very difficult to identify the risk of the floods.
11) Remember that even heavy rain and if it was for a short period of time, it might be accompanied by floods in high and mountain areas.

• Prohibition of gas usage in the kitchen in the Holy Places:

A decision was ordered that forbid the usage of the gas cylinders of various types and sizes in the Holy Places as a precaution to eliminate one of the important and direct reasons that causes fire and to apply the principle of safety. Whereas they have provided alternative means less in danger such as coal, wood, and kerosene to be used in the cooking process inside the camps. In addition to the easy access of the daily snacks that are made safely by the trading shops, plus what the Tawafa institute provides concerning the cooked meals outside the Holy Places. All this is to avoid the danger that is shown in the usage of the gas cylinder in the process of cooking inside the Holy Places. And the idea of safety will only be accomplished through your cooperation with us. So when you know the reason behind not using these gas cylinders, your belief in it, performance, and contribution in publishing this issue among all of the pilgrims, and in helping the security men in applying this, in this way we will all reach to our great goal. And here are some of the advices:
1) If you prevented yourself from selling, circulating, storing, and using of gas in the cooking process in the Holy Places is great evidence on your awareness.
2) For your own safety, cook only in the identified places inside the camp.
3) Make sure of the presence of the fire extinguisher near the cooking location.
4) For your own safety, take only for your daily use the necessary amount of oil needed for cooking inside the camp.
5) When the wind starts to blow, stop the cooking process.
6) There must always be someone near the stove.
7) If you move with a lit coal inside the camp, you may cause fire God forbids. So leave it in its specific place.
8) Inform the security men and those responsible for the safety about any usage of the gas cylinders and what dangers could it make.
9) Remember tat you only spend several days in the Holy Places in which you can accomplish the safety for all when you prevent yourself from using gas in the cooking process.
10) If you follow the instructions and guidance, you will be preventing the accidents from happening.

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