National Ambulance Launches Smart 998 App

Abu Dhabi, 03 May 2016: National Ambulance has today launched its 998 App for mobile phones as a step to provide additional support to the community in the vital area of emergency service. The App allows residents in the Northern Emirates to request an ambulance in emergency situations. The Ambulance can be dispatched immediately to their destination through GPS tracking. It also comes with a First Aid guide in Arabic and English providing all users with handy tips in responding to a variety of emergency health-related scenarios.

Launching the App, Ahmed Saleh Al Hajeri, Deputy CEO of National Ambulance said: “The UAE is at the forefront of providing Smart solutions for public services as part of its vision for the future. With the mobile phone as an ever-present object in our lives, it is important that National Ambulance plays its part in delivering the digital agenda. By launching the 998 App we are building on the success of the 998 number by providing an additional source of support to the community in times of most need.”

By registering through the 998 App, residents in the Northern Emirates can request emergency ambulance at the touch of a button. The request goes immediately to National Ambulance’s Communication Centre, where highly trained staff are able to respond and dispatch an ambulance directly to the scene through GPS tracking. As a result of this technology, response times will be reduced, which is critical in emergency situations where time can save lives. Al Hajeri added: “By utilising the technology we can reduce the time it takes to respond to emergencies. This additional capability will allow National Ambulance to deliver a more efficient and effective service to the community.”

The App also features a handy First Aid guide, which is available for any user to benefit from. The guide contains easy-to-follow steps (which are highlighted with pictures) for users in how to respond to a variety of clinical situations, such as; choking, bleeding, burns, allergic reactions and strokes. The guide is available in English and in Arabic. Commenting on the guide, Al Hajeri said: “Our First Aid guide is a feature from which the entire community can benefit. Emergency situations, like burns or choking, cannot be foreseen and require immediate attention. The 998 App First Aid guide provides simple steps to follow at the touch of a button.”

The App is available for Android, IOS, Windows and Blackberry and can be downloaded at Apple App Store, Google Play and Windows store

Al Hajeri stressed that: “Just as the 998 number is a valuable and precious resource, we urge users not to abuse the App by falsely requesting an ambulance, which ties up our operators and prevents our team arriving quickly to render assistance.”