Dubai Policewoman Set to become First Female Rescue Diver

A Dubai Police officer has overcome her fear of water to become the first woman to lead the marine rescue department.

A Dubai Police officer has overcome her fear of water to become the first woman to lead the marine rescue department.

Maj Atiqa Al Dhaheri, 51, stepped up to cover for the department's chief, who is away for three months, and is undergoing diving and first aid training in her quest to become the first female rescue diver on the force.

She has achieved all this after overcoming a deep-seated fear of water.

A Dubai Police officer has overcome her fear of water to become the first woman to lead the marine rescue department.

Maj Atiqa Al Dhaheri, 51, stepped up to cover for the department's chief, who is away for three months, and is undergoing diving and first aid training in her quest to become the first female rescue diver on the force.

She has achieved all this after overcoming a deep-seated fear of water.

Maj Al Dhaheri's career with Dubai Police was due to a chance occurrence.

While taking Arabic language studies at Alwasl University in 1994, she accompanied her aunt to the force's headquarters.

“It wasn’t a childhood dream to work with Dubai Police, nor was it something I even thought of or considered,” she said.

“My aunt wanted me to accompany her in her third attempt to apply for a position with the force.”

The recruitment officer suggested that Maj Al Dhaheri, who was 22 at the time, should also apply, which she did without hesitating.

A week later she was accepted into the force but her aunt was not.

She went on to hold desk jobs in the archives department and the customer happiness centre before finally deciding to join the maritime police station in 2002.

Years later in 2013, she received a best service award from Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, in recognition of her contribution.

Source:- The National News