City Centre Clinic Rushes to Offer Counselling Support to EK-521 Firefighters

Dubai: The firefighters responsible for ushering all 282 passengers and 18 crew of flight EK-521 to safety last week, were given immediate counselling following their heroic rescue effort, reveals City Centre Clinic Deira.

Leading a dedicated, rapid response nursing team, Dr Abdulrazak Saiyed, a Specialist Psychiatrist at Majid Al Futtaim Healthcare's City Centre Clinic in Deira, was rushed to the scene of the accident to assist Dubai Civil Defence personnel.

Alongside nurses Hebert Mark Soriano and Anna Aguas, Dr Saiyed offered time-crucial psychological aid to the courageous yet physically and emotionally drained firefighting team.

With high intensity accidents and rescue situations, such as the EK-521 incident, known for causing post-traumatic stress, swift and thorough psychological assessments and care are critical in helping mitigate symptoms.

Majid Al Futtaim Heathcare and City Centre Clinic Deira are proud to have had the opportunity to assist the valiant team responsible for their quick, decisive and unwavering rescue effort, which was gratefully received by the firefighters involved. 

Dr Abdulrazak Saiyed, Specialist Psychiatrist at City Centre Clinic Deira, said, "Post traumatic stress is a common yet often misunderstood disorder that can severely impact those on the frontlines of emergency services. In situations like the EK-521 crash response, time really is of the essence. I have the utmost admiration for the firefighters who displayed tireless dedication to the safety of passengers and crew and thank my team at City Centre Clinic Deira for leaping to their assistance. On behalf of City Centre Clinics, I would also like to express our deepest condolences to the family of the nation's martyr, Jassim Isa Al Balushi".