PERSONALITY XXX PROFILE
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Dilnaaz Ally
Cofounder and CEO of MRU Emergency Response Unit Dilnaaz Ally cherishes her childhood memories which include traveling across the globe and learning to ski with her family, riding motorbikes with friends and sky diving with her sister.
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ot for the little tomboy a girlie career – fascinated by the police and detective programmes she watched on television as a child, she decided from early on that she was going to be part of an exciting and productive career.
Lenasia and the surrounding areas to deal with high volumes of road accidents and fires in the nearby informal settlements. In December 2011 this desperately needed service became a reality as our own fire engine drove into town!
Early years
My husband and I established the company MRU Emergency Response Unit, which caters not just for the corporates but also for the security needs of clients with various incomes. Having a diverse background in security training, from tactical to investigative DNA crime scene management, we are able to offer a vast array of services. We are also affiliated to the BAC E2 Project, whose support is indispensable and allows us to provide specialised assistance to businesses and the public in general. In addition, we assist with one of the most important elements of security: the control room. Knowing and understanding how complex, convoluted and daunting the set-up and management of the control room can be, we have assisted a number of companies with the MRU control room toolbox solution. It is an easy all-in-one setup that includes training and 24/7 support for companies that want their own inhouse or a remote (off-site) security control room set up and operated successfully. My tactical training and competencies in a variety of firearms including shotguns, rifles, carbines and handguns, permits me to carry out an array of assignments. The MRU Emergency Response Unit is not limited to any specific type of security – we offer a range of specialised services that are tailored to meet the ever-changing needs of our clients. I work with an amazing team and believe it’s of the utmost importance to know
My involvement in the security industry started at the age of 18 years after finishing school. The peaceful neighbourhood of Lenasia in Gauteng, where I grew up, was rapidly changing as a result of an increase in violent criminal activities. I remember thinking to myself that something needed to be done – even if it was a small contribution that I could make – to improve the situation. That was the beginning of my journey to proactively fight crime as well as support victims by offering assistance in whichever way I could. As the years passed, I took part in high visibility patrols, trained through ER 24 to be able to offer medical assistance as a first aider, arranged disaster management support and organised anti-crime events. Then, yearning to help on a much larger scale, I initiated a partnership to found the MRU Section 21 non-profit organisation. It grew rapidly, supported by an upstanding group of business and working people who shared the same vision as we did. They gave us the most valuable gift they could give: their time and dedication to assist victims affected by crime. MRU was the first entity to introduce two-way radios into the community. We acquired them from Multisource (now known as Critical Communications), with whom we still have a strong business relationship. This allowed us to mobilise assistance quickly and it led us to our next goal: getting a dedicated fire engine for
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SECURITY FOCUS AFRICA APRIL 2020
MRU Emergency Response Unit
every operational aspect of the business as well as what’s happening on the ground – I also believe that an open-door policy works best. Having to turn any dream into a reality takes a spark of hope and powerful determination. In this industry, you have to be on top of your game to succeed, and you have to think ahead. Yes, there are times that your plan won’t work out as envisaged but the important thing then is to always have a plan B that’s ready to be actioned! There is no such thing as a typical work day for me. From enjoying a cup of Chai Latte to evaluating and constructing business development strategies, analysing investigative projects, organising and integrating plans for our different specialised security assignments, and engaging with clients, I am constantly on the go. Each security assignment comes with a different plan, a different strategy, a different actioned operation – it varies from day to day, which I love.
Our latest project We launched our latest project a few weeks ago. It’s called the MRU Evacuation Plan and it’s aimed at providing tailored action plans for executives and their leadership teams so that they’re prepared for any emergency, whether it’s protest action, riots or violent internal or public disruptions. These are terrifying scenarios that can nevertheless be mitigated with the right plans in place. MRU’s Evacuation Plan includes evacuation procedures and access to safe locations using GPS, satellite phones and other innovative products to grant them access to the essentials needed in order for them to be operational the next day. It also trains key personnel on how to operate in the event of catastrophes so that
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