Saudi electricians record 30 years of Hajj service

Two Saudi electricians have recorded 30 years of service this year at the holy sites for the Hajj, during which they had to deal with major challenges including fires and flooding.

Mohammed Ali Rafie and Adel bin Khalil Roas said recently, that they were proud to have been able to serve the guests of God in this capacity in Mina, mostly at the operations control center, for the Saudi Electricity Company.

Rafie, the emergency supervisor of medium voltage units, said his job is to supervise the electricity provision systems for Makkah and the holy sites alongside fellow citizens and foreign workers.

A positive outcome of that year’s flooding saw the company shift its focus more onto safety measures. He said workers are now better trained and equipped to deal with emergency situations.

Rafie said that he is the first person to report to the operations and control room in Mina before the pilgrimage season begins, and is the last to leave after it ends. He said Mina is deserted and it is hard to imagine the place was so crowded a few hours before.

Roas, the emergency supervisor of the low voltage units, who works in the same operations and control center in Mina, also has beautiful memories of the past 30 years of service. He said Saudis have played a critical role in the provision of electricity services over the years at the holy sites.

Roas said that the company does not allow any pilgrim to set foot in Mina or the other holy sites without ensuring the systems are functioning safely and properly. He said teams start working in these areas as early as Shawwal to prepare for the Hajj.

The two men said that Mina is so quiet after the Hajj that they are only left with the sound of the equipment humming in the background. It leaves them with the feeling of a job well done. They are proud to be part of a company that has helped to make Hajj a success over decades.

(Source: Arab News)