Saudi search and rescue teams announce heightened alert for winter season

With the arrival of winter, a season that sees a surge in desert excursions and camping trips among citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia, volunteer teams and specialized search and rescue organizations have declared a state of maximum alert. This move comes in response to anticipated weather challenges, ranging from heavy rainfall to low temperatures and fog, necessitating strict precautionary measures to ensure the safety of lives.

Seasonal context and increasing challenges

These preparations are particularly important this year due to the region's changing climate, with an increased frequency of heavy rainfall events that could lead to flash floods and overflowing wadis. While the winter season in the Kingdom presents a golden opportunity for desert tourism, it also carries real dangers for unprepared adventurers. Field statistics indicate that most incidents of people getting trapped or lost occur as a result of underestimating the nature of the terrain after rainfall or entering muddy salt flats that are difficult to escape without specialized equipment.

Strategies for dealing with winter risks

Khaled Abdulaziz Al-Issa, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Professional Search and Rescue Association, affirmed that winter is considered one of the most difficult and challenging seasons for field teams. He explained that weather conditions such as extreme cold and lack of visibility due to fog not only affect hikers but also hinder rapid response to reported incidents. Al-Issa noted that the association has enhanced its equipment with insulating clothing, advanced lighting equipment, and specialized towing tools to handle cases of vehicles stuck in mud, which top the list of winter reports.

Integration of efforts and modern technologies

For his part, Khaled Abdulbaqi Al-Badnah, founder and leader of the Fazaa Search and Rescue Team, emphasized that preparedness is not limited to human resources alone, but also includes the use of technology in rescue operations. He pointed out that the team relies on satellite positioning devices and wireless communication to ensure effective coordination in areas lacking cellular network coverage. He added that the team's plans for this season were based on an analysis of data from previous years to identify accident hotspots and locations with the highest frequency of incidents, allowing for the proactive deployment of field teams.

Community awareness: the first line of defense

In a related context, Abdulhakim Faisal Al-Shaaban, Executive Director of the Eastern Knights Association, explained that the speed of response depends largely on the accuracy of the report and the awareness of the person reporting it. He praised the pivotal role of the Unified Security Operations Center (911) in the Eastern Province in managing crises and directing specialized teams, whether from the Civil Defense or the Border Guard. Al-Shaaban urged hikers to plan their trips in advance, inform relatives of their intended route, and avoid the risk of crossing valleys during flash floods, emphasizing that community awareness is the cornerstone of successful rescue operations and minimizing human losses.