The Media Centre of the third Civil Defense Exhibition and Conference organised a seminar recently on the ‘Permanent Committee for Emergency’. The seminar discussed various subjects related to the functions of the Committee, such as preparedness to face emergencies, their role in securing the safety of people and property and managing crisis. Director of Operations Department of the General Directorate of Civil Defense Brigadier Hamad al-Duhaimi, Representative of Hamad Medical Corporation in the Committee Dr Abdul Wahab al-Muslih, Representative of the Committee from Red Crescent Society Dr Abdul Salam al-Qahtani and Director of Medical Affairs at Qatar Red Crescent Society Dr Dawood al-Bast attended the seminar held at the media centre in the Um Ghuwailina Civil Defense Centre. Inaugurating the seminar, Brigadier al-Duhaimi said that the world is living under continuous threat of war and industrial and natural disasters. The consequences of these calamities, such as destruction of property and displacement of citizens and expatriates, require significant effort to manage in order to bring back a feeling of order and stability. The Permanent Committee for Emergency was formed to deal with these events. It was created on the basis of cabinet decree No 17 of the year 1998. Preparation of studies and drafting plans and procedures for disaster management, putting rules and regulations and systems in place that will ensure relief for disaster victims, preparing transportation and communication facilities, formation of awareness plans and disseminating them among the public through mass media, taking measures to fight natural calamities, fires, building collapse and oil and gas leakage and other disasters are the functions of the Committee, Brigadier al-Duhaimi added. The Committee has been conducting mock drills periodically.