Firefighting experts have said that installation of fire sprinklers in high rise buildings should be mandatory in the UAE to avoid deaths.
Brian T. Hoening, a chief consulting engineer from the U.S., said that extraordinary measures should be taken to avoid and control fire in high rise buildings in the country. “It is always difficult for firefighters to fight fires in high rise buildings, especially if the fire has broken out on or above the 10th storey,” he noted.
He added that although the Civil Defence in the emirates was well-equipped and highly trained, special measures should be taken for fire control while designing and constructing tall buildings.
“Even in the USA, firefighters can control fires from outside the building only up to the eighth level and the same is the case in the emirates because equipment to fight fires above the eighth storey level is not available,” he noted. He pointed out that high rise buildings which are rapidly coming up in the UAE are at high risk in case of fire unless they are equipped with fire sprinklers.
Hoening was speaking at a function organised recently by the Emirates FireFighting Equipment Factory (Firex) – the only national fire equipment manufacturing company – to introduce its firefighting equipment. It was attended by officials from the Police and Civil Defence Department in Sharjah, and representatives of different companies.
Fire sprinklers, Hoening added, were needed more in residential buildings as compared with office blocks because apartments are always at high risk due to kitchens. He suggested fire sprinkles be installed in every room of the house, especially in the kitchen, to avoid any fatalities in case of fire.
Speaking on the occasion, Lt. Col. Abdullah Saeed Al Swaidi, Acting Director of Sharjah Civil Defence, pointed out the need to conduct a comprehensive study aiming at safety of life and property in high rise buildings in the emirate.
He said that the most modern equipment should be used for fire alarms and fire control, especially in very high buildings and factories. “Although the Civil Defence is well equipped, there is a need for cooperation between the department and the firefighting equipment manufacturing companies to develop the latest equipment.”
Engineer Jamal A. Hussain, Managing Director of Firex, noted that the main objective of holding the meeting was to take steps to improve cooperation between his company and the Sharjah Civil Defence, and to introduce their new environment-friendly firefighting extinguisher which replaces the Halon Extinguisher 1211 which was banned in the UAE last year but is still in use in many places. The seminar also discussed measures to protect high rise buildings from fires.
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The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains.
The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains.
3 Comment
The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains.
The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures, or else he endures pains to avoid worse pains.
The wise man therefore always holds in these matters to this principle of selection: he rejects pleasures to secure other greater pleasures,