Dubai: Dubai Civil Defence (DCD) has connected all buildings and facilities at Expo 2020 Dubai to a smart monitoring system that ensures 24/7 safety for all, with an emergency response time set under three minutes.
To ensure a fool-proof safety net, DCD has transferred its command centre inside a headquarters built at Expo.
Expo is spread over a 480-hectare site, making it larger than 600 football fields. Officials said emergency planning will never stop in the new futuristic mini-city that has been built in Dubai to host Expo. DCD Director Lieutenant General Rashid Al Matroushi said safety at the mega-event is top priority.
Daily review
“We had an advance strategy and a plan in place before the launch of Expo to ensure the safety of all participants and visitors. For this purpose, we connected all the buildings at Expo to our 24/7 smart monitoring system. Our aim is to overcome any challenges and review our daily tasks closely,” added Lt Gen Al Matroushi.
He said that 304 DCD cadres including 78 firefighters have been deployed at different sectors of Expo, equipped with 73 advanced firefighting vehicles.
“We used an advanced monitoring system to make sure everyone [of our cadres] is allocated a location that is ideal for quick response to emergencies,” Lt Gen Al Matroushi added.
Additionally, about 156 firefighters from all civil defence departments in the UAE are working closely with DCD at the venue. “There is a back-up force of 491 firefighters, ready to rush in if there is an emergency. They are stationed at seven stations in the Jebel Ali sector. Our teams conducted more than 509 drills and training sessions for all the participants at the venue so that they are ready for any emergency.”
Trained for all scenarios
Lt Gen Al Matroushi said DCD’s preparation for Expo started in 2019 when there were more than 25,000 workers building the site. He said the 78 firefighters deployed at the site are not only trained to extinguish a blaze and administer first aid, but are also trained to spot any suspicious activity at the venue.
Response time
He said the response time for emergencies will be less than three minutes due to the advanced infrastructure of Expo and smart systems that have been put in place to direct firefighters to any specific point within the Expo site rapidly.
“We trained 2,000 participants at the venue to play the role of quick responders. In addition, security guards received training on how to use fire extinguishers and follow safety procedures,” he added.
