Red alert placed on every zoo request says FM

Mohammed Dabdoub, acting FM director, Al Ain Zoo.

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Teamwork is the overriding factor of success when running FM operations in a high risk environment such as a zoo, explains acting FM director at Al Ain Zoo.

In an exclusive interview with fmME, Mohammed Dabdoub, says while in a mainstream environment, a blown light bulb can be changed as soon as it is detected, the same task in a zoo becomes a complex matter which involves numerous departments.

"Co-ordination is an essential part and the most challenging of our roles," says Dabdoub.

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"If we are assigned a task in the cat-house, for example changing the safety wire for the animal keeper, the job could take up to a day and a half. We need to call the department, fix a timing, take the animal out of the back of house so I can guarantee the animal keeper’s safety, my team’s safety and that he is not stressed while doing the work. We only want to enter the one time, but it has to be done correctly.

And though each task may take time to get through, it is still important that every maintenance request made in the zoo, which is home to over 4,000 animals, is treated as high priority.

"Everything is an emergency,” says Dabdoub. “Because of the nature of the environment, you cannot afford to leave jobs pending. What we have in terms of collections is special. We can’t risk it, regardless of the items. We know we have to close it as fast as we can," says Dabdoub.