Under the patronage of H.H.Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed ALNahyan, deputy prime minister and minister of Interior, and the participation of Maj.Gen. Expert Rashid Thani ALMatrooshi,Director General of Dubai Civil Defence, Dubai Civil Defence has conducted the sixth annual Fire safety Technology Forum. Brig. Ahmed Ubaid ALSayegh, Assist. Director for fire &rescue, Col. Hassan Ali Bin Hassram, Director of UmmalQuain Civil Defence , representatives of regional Civil Defence departments, Directors of Dubai Civil Defence internal departments along with fire products manufacturing, installation and maintenance companies’ directors were attended also.

The sixth version for this year held under the slogan: (Innovative recovery from High rise accidents), based on the intensive analysis carried by Civil Defence on recent High rise buildings fires accidents, and the continuous investigation processes to detect their causes, internal/external impacting factors, and global public concern associated with them , and based as well on successful achievement of Civil Defence’s rescue and fighting operations, and further to assert the importance of periodical review of latest technologies by Civil Defence and its ongoing keenness to develop best practices and applications.

In his speech delivered at the forum, Maj.Gen.Expert ALMatrooshi ,Director of Dubai Civil Defence, titled ( Key enablers to ensure Civil Defence organization success) Said:

Vast development witnessed by Civil Defence major and supportive operations, and its sustainable effectiveness are considered essential enablers in delivering best services to customers and partners successfully.


He further added:

Key enablers include many factors led by ( Emirates fire & Life safety code of practice) which was issued, implemented, and updated based on a number of legislative backgrounds, such as federal law No 23of 2006, which regulates Civil Defence work, ministers council decision No 24 of 2012 pertaining violations fines, and ministry of interior executive decision No 505 of 2012, which identifies safety threating violations and subsequent fines for each violation, and that has helped to enhance safety measures in buildings and establishments. In addition to, the implementation of 24x7 system, which was put in place in 2008, as a strategic scheme ensuring safety in buildings and establishments, by connecting them electronically to central operations room, and in case of any fire or lift fault, fire teams will immediately respond when electronic signals arrive to operations room. According to this scheme, about 56,921 building and establishments are provided with electronic firefighting systems, 44,277 buildings are already linked to operations room, and about 8,284 are still underway.

Intelligence deductive system is another enabler, which allows fire teams to reach incident scene via shortest cut and in less possible time. While smart home project which is considered complementing the smart system scheme (24x7dcd), is used to directly connect the villas to DCD’s central operations room, so any accident once occurred is reported via a hot line, which instantaneously provides all information required by Civil Defence teams to reach to the scene in the minimum response time.

Community preventive awareness campaigns aiming at increasing awareness level and embeds individual safety behavior form together with (758) evacuation drills conducted during 2015 an important factor in making the community prime partner in safety industry, as safety for all cannot be realized without participation from all.

Standard operating procedures (SOP’s) is deemed essential in the field of fighting fires for governance of incident scene procedures, and empower commanders and fire teams to effectively manage the accident with minimal possible loss, plus optimum investment in human resources.

Then, He talked about Address hotel fire experience, pointing out the challenges associated with accident, such as existence of 3000 people in the hotel, huge crowd around the hotel, fire spreading in more than one place, high wind speed, fire in upper stories and the extensive international media coverage.

Sixth Fire Safety Technology Forum has commenced its work with a study on (Shilly towers fire &lessons learnt ) prepared and presented by Mark Yates, chief fire officer and vice chairman CFOA , then ( Incident response time – the context of public education and collaboration) delivered by Barry Lynham, President Fire Safe Europe, followed by ( Tall building Firefighting , An Australian Perspective) presented by Justin Francis , Senior Officer- Queensland Fire & Rescue, then ( Fire Safe Façade: Regulating for Resilience) presented by Stephen Little Battalion Officer – Chicago Fire Department and finally ( High Rise Firefighter Air Replenishment System) delivered by Gary Morris, Fire Chief I Pine –Strawberry Fire District.

Participating fire companies displayed their products on the sideline of the forum. The number of the speakers of the forum since its early start in 2011 till now is estimated at 40,1500 participants and 100 displayers. Participants include public and private sectors representing various countries such as UAE,Gulf Countries,UK,USA,Canada, France, Italy, Greece and Hong Kong.

Dubai Civil Defence main topics discussed are

2011 – Best International Practices and technological applications

2012- Recovery from High-rises fires

2013- Civil Defence - & Civic Society Preparation to Minimize Crisis Risks

2014- Civil Defence & Community Awareness Culture

2015- Civil Defence & Crisis Limitation Under Sustainable Development

2016- Innovation in Recovery from High-rises fires

On behalf of all Dubai Civil Defence Staff Maj.Gen. Expert Rashid Thani ALMatrooshi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence Department expresses his thanks and appreciation to H.H.Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid ALMaktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai and to H.H.Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid ALMaktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance for their continuous support to Dubai Civil Defence, particularly the recent approval taken by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan to establish three new fire centers in (Nad ALShiba, ALMazhr, and Jebal Ali) with total cost of 45 million dirham.

He added:

This step comes in line with ongoing support extended by our wise leadership to Dubai Civil defence, and as a part of Dubai Government strategic plan aiming to ensure all establishments and residential, industrial,marketing,services and entertainment areas in Dubai is provided with fire and safety requirements, and also to make DCD’s set vision ( Toward making UAE one of the safest and more secured countries of the world) achieved. As a result of this support and due to other development plans implemented in the fields of ( prevention, protection, firefighting, planning, coordination with stakeholders and training) Civil Defence services progressed rapidly development during the last ten years, and its fire and rescue teams became more efficient and professional. This developmental approach was well reflected in the mode of integration between the various capabilities, utilization of different supportive factors, making use of accumulated experiences and sponsorship of innovative initiatives which collectively aiming at Civil Defence following strategic goals:

(Ensure readiness during crisis and disasters, achievement of highest safety levels, make sure services are delivered as per quality standards, enhancing public confidence by delivering excellent services, effective communication and transparency).

Regarding Civil Defence Futuristic Vision ..General ALMatrooshi Continue to Say:

Our futuristic vision is the (Smart Civil Defence), that based on fundamental factors, bringing future into present, through an integrated system of best practices and innovative applications. Such system includes:

• Setting of interactive plans, variable responsive approaches, innovative methods, advanced means and latest technologies in order to spread innovation culture and giving way to initiative employees to express their creative ideas and to systematically sponsoring innovators.
• Working tirelessly to make people happy .. by delivering useful community awareness services across all the categories in the society and workers at different economic, educational, health and service sectors. Ensure all buildings and establishments are fitted with latest electronic fire safety systems, and provided with effective firefighting equipments to reassure protection of lives and properties. Implementing supportive services that meet customers and workers satisfaction.
• To achieve 4 minute response time by 2021 for more than 80% of accidents, as compare to response time achieved in 2015.
• Updating approved standards for the three main operations and supportive services to ensure sustainability of best methodologies already achieved in these fields.
• Enhancement of professional training methods for all candidates in accordance with international training curriculums applied in Emirates Academy for Civil Defence Sciences, through daily training programs and conducting evacuation drills for wider sectors of community.
• Enhancing ties with strategic partners in both public and private sectors.
• Utilization of latest technologies in all fundamental and supportive operations to ensure good quality performance ,excellent results and customers satisfaction are achieved.