| The Federal National Council adopted during its eighth session of the second ordinary session of the seventeenth legislative term, which was held today 16 March 2021 AD at the council’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, headed by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Council, and in the presence of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior A number of recommendations during the discussion of the topic of “Ministry of Interior’s policy in the matter of civil defense”, which relate to legislation, job needs, security and safety services, awareness, and coordination with the relevant authorities. | |
| The Federal National Council discusses the issue of the Ministry of Interior’s policy on civil defense in the presence of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed: The UAE is making proactive efforts to prevent and reduce the effects of natural hazards, disasters and crises Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed: The UAE is one of the best countries in the world in terms of salaries for civil defense workers Representatives of the Ministry of Interior presented the ministry’s policy on civil defense, which is based on the application of the highest standards of preparedness and readiness The Federal National Council adopted during its eighth session of the second ordinary session of the seventeenth legislative term, which was held today 16 March 2021 AD at the council’s headquarters in Abu Dhabi, headed by His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Council, and in the presence of Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior A number of recommendations during the discussion of the topic of “Ministry of Interior’s policy in the matter of civil defense”, which relate to legislation, job needs, security and safety services, awareness, and coordination with the relevant authorities.The Council agreed to return the recommendations of the subject contained in the report to the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee, to reformulate them according to what had been discussed by the Council. The session was attended by Abdul Rahman Muhammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Community Protection, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs, Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, Lieutenant General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and a number of senior Officers. Before embarking on the discussion of the general topic, His Excellency Nasser Muhammad Al Yammahi, the rapporteur of the Committee for Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs, presented a summary of the committee’s report on the topic, which included three axes: rehabilitation and training of civil defense departments’ employees in accordance with urban developments, awareness programs on conditions of security and safety in society, and coordination With the competent authorities in unifying the security and safety conditions for the buildings and the services provided by the civil defense. In response to the questions and discussions of the council’s members about the Ministry of Interior’s policy in the matter of civil defense, Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, said that the UAE possesses the “Emirates Code”, which is the UAE’s guide to protection from dangers. Fire, and it is considered one of the best practices and specialized applications, which aims to protect individuals and avoid fire accidents. The decrease in fire accidents in buildings reflects the extent to which it keeps pace with the aspirations and the tremendous urban and technical development in the country. His Highness responded to a question about the ministry’s plan to develop scientific and skill capabilities and capabilities to ensure the readiness and competence of civil defense personnel to face disasters and crises and protect lives and property, saying that the UAE is making proactive efforts to prevent and reduce the effects of natural hazards, disasters and crises, as the Ministry is keen to rehabilitate and train its employees. Civil Defense in the Civil Defense Academy, and to refine their skills and raise the level of professional performance through their participation in specialized training courses, technically qualifying them to keep pace with the development witnessed by the country in all aspects of life. Regarding the ministry’s plan to raise salaries and financial allocations for civil defense employees, His Highness appreciated the interest and keenness of the council’s members for their children in the civil defense apparatus, and their appreciation of the challenges and risks they face. It is considered one of the best countries in the world in terms of salaries for civil defense workers, explaining his Highness that we are fortunate in the Emirates with our wise leadership that pays great attention to its children and provides them with a decent life. His Highness the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior responded to a question about the existence of a plan to coordinate with educational institutions to offer academic programs in the field of emergencies and crises, saying that training and qualification are essential for success, so coordination is made with Rabdan Academy, which has experts at the highest level in the field of training, The Ministry is striving to raise the efficiency of civil defense employees by enrolling them in specialized courses at the Civil Defense Academy, and His Highness invited members of the Council to visit Rabdan Academy to see academic programs in the field of integrated emergency management, business continuity management with a bachelor’s degree, and a number of programs for police and public security. In addition to inviting them to visit the Civil Defense Academy, which provides applied programs in the field of civil defense and advanced courses that it holds in this field. In his response to the questions addressed by the members, His Highness affirmed that volunteering in the field of civil defense is open and there are volunteers who are specialized and skilled in this field, and there is a plan to take advantage of the national service model, which includes in its ranks national cadres of all specializations, and can be used in organizing conferences. And international exhibitions, pointing out that in light of the urban development witnessed by the country and the presence of high-rise towers, the Civil Defense Academy’s specialized training programs will be reviewed to upgrade it, to provide qualitative courses that keep pace with the renaissance and development the country is witnessing in various fields. In conclusion, His Excellency Saqr Ghobash, Chairman of the Federal National Council, expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to Lieutenant General His Highness Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, for his presence at this session, and his generosity by listening to the opinions and suggestions of the Council members and consulting with everyone, appreciating His Excellency the efforts of His Highness and the efforts of all employees of the Ministry of the Interior. Representatives of the Ministry of Interior presented the Ministry of Interior policy on civil defense, which is based on the application of the highest standards of preparedness and readiness Representatives of the Ministry of the Interior presented at the beginning of the session the policy of the Ministry of Interior in the matter of civil defense, through the application of the highest standards of preparedness and readiness. Major General Dr. Jassim Muhammad Al-Marzouqi, Commander-in-Chief of Civil Defense at the Ministry of Interior, and a number of officers at the General Command of Civil Defense reviewed statistics related to the rates of fire rates of all kinds, deaths resulting from them, and the achieved response rate, in addition to comparisons with a number of developed countries around the world. It clearly shows in the leadership of civil defense and its achievement of distinguished levels in performance and achievement. Al-Marzouki touched on the process of ensuring the achievement of strategic goals in preserving lives and property, explaining that the civil defense agencies are based on a set of laws issued by the Council of Ministers that enhance the work of civil defense, by adopting clear policies and effective work mechanisms to prevent fires and ensure preparedness and readiness. Through the enablers, including the operational manuals, that draw the standards and controls for excellence and the application of the Emirates Code, and institutional measurement methods for reviewing and improving performance, including the executive frameworks at the Ministry of Interior, which follow and ensure the sustainability of leadership and follow-up of the Cabinet teams for indicators, as well as the policy of electronic linkage and exchange Information with partners from government agencies, and automating services with a completion rate of 98%. He explained that according to statistics, 618 thousand and 892 workers were trained in the facilities during a period of 3 years, in keeping with the urban renaissance and the development of buildings. The percentage of compliance with safety and prevention requirements reached 95%, while the percentage of completion of transactions reached 91%, and 106 thousand and 53 surprise inspections were carried out on buildings and commercial establishments in the country. Zaki enhances protection and prevention and provides speed of response. Civil defense centers have expanded to include all populated areas in the country, and needs are identified through a clear policy linked to several criteria, including population density, risk analysis, and the geography and topography of the region. He referred to the rehabilitation of Emirati firefighters who have achieved achievements that exceeded expectations, by their work in the civil defense agencies, and said, We have received delegations from different parts of the world, to learn about the civil defense march and the practices applied to us, especially in our training academy, and in the means of dealing with fires of towers and tall buildings. The Civil Defense has received certificates of appreciation, awards and accreditation from prestigious international institutions. He added that the awareness strategy in enhancing security and safety is based on the proactiveness of the Ministry of the Interior, represented by the General Command of Civil Defense, in spreading awareness using the best technologies, on the readiness of infrastructure and digital, and on educating the largest number of segments of society about the culture of safety and civil protection, in addition to diversification in the dissemination of information. By displaying publications and videos that address the public, known as preventive requirements, through social media and in multiple languages. The General Command of Civil Defense is working to expand strategic partnerships from the public and private sectors, with the aim of reaching the largest segment of beneficiaries. To about 39 million people. He said that among the tangible results of the awareness campaigns is the achievement of 95.3% in increasing the percentage of compliance with safety and prevention requirements during the year 2020, and the decrease in the number of building and facility fires by 79%, and the resulting death rate of 81% between 2011 and 2020.23 members present their interventions during the discussion of the Ministry of Interior policy on civil defense. His Excellency Dr. Ali Rashid Al-Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee, talked about global competitiveness and indicators of civil defense accidents and the role of the Ministry of Interior in preserving the position it has achieved, and the efforts it has made to maintain its first position compared to other countries, according to the report of the (CTIF) organization. During the decline in the mortality and injuries resulting from fires per 100,000 inhabitants, pointing out that preserving this position and rising on the ladder of global indicators requires distinguished and well-planned efforts and hard work, especially in light of the conditions in which events and developments are accelerating at an unprecedented degree. Control over the circulation of counterfeit electrical devices in state markets and free zones His Excellency Nasser Al Yammahi, Rapporteur of the Defense, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the ministry is making tangible efforts to monitor and follow up on what electrical devices and wires are used, and it has set the conditions and specifications for security and safety, but some still use poor electrical wiring, wires and connections that lack security and safety requirements. Which poses a risk to the safety of lives and property in homes and residential buildings, and may be a cause of fires due to their inability to withstand heat. Statistics of the Civil Defense revealed that 99% of all fires are caused by electrical contact in one of the Emirates. He asked about the ministry’s plans and programs to educate the public about the dangers of counterfeit and non-conforming electrical devices, and the aspects of coordination between the ministry and the concerned authorities to monitor the outlets for selling those devices, especially in the free zones. A request to reconsider the firefighter’s risk premium His Excellency Youssef Abdullah Al-Batran said that the blessing of security and safety that we live in in the UAE is the result of great efforts by the leadership and the government, and the civilization of countries is measured by the level of their security and stability, and with the follow-up of Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ministry of Interior and all its agencies have reached the professionalism of work on the side Intellectual, technical and professional, we thank everyone for developing the civil defense system and national ambulance, and we value their efforts in quickly saving lives, and he called for re-studying the risk premium for the firefighter due to the seriousness of his work.Maintenance and installation of smoke detector in homes. His Excellency Ahmed Abdullah Al Shehhi said that the Ministry of Interior has concluded an agreement with a single national company to enhance preventive measures and public safety in facilities and residences by installing a smoke detector through the “Hisnatak Program” initiative. However, it is noticeable that the national companies specialized in installing these systems are limited. The General Command of Civil Defense also launched an awareness campaign under the slogan “Your Home is a Trust” to educate the community about safety measures and prevention of accidents and disasters. He inquired about the Ministry’s plan regarding contracting with companies specialized in installing smoke detectors in homes at reasonable prices, about educating and training people of determination and their families to avoid fire accidents, and about the availability of fire alarms linked with civil defense departments’ systems that are suitable for people of determination, especially the deaf group. Safety protection systems in buildings and children falling off the balconies of buildings His Excellency Obaid Khalfan Al-Ghoul Al-Salami said that despite the efforts of the General Command of Civil Defense and its cooperation with the competent government departments and institutions to ensure access to the highest levels of safety and fire prevention, it was found that some buildings do not have safety specifications to confront fires in the event of their outbreak, such as fire cylinders or Alarms, and children have fallen from balconies of buildings due to the lack of adequate protection systems on balconies and windows in some buildings, and the absence of legislation that obliges owners to install these systems. The World Council of Tall Buildings stated that the UAE will lead the world in the number of high-rise buildings within the next four years, and is currently ranked first in the Middle East region, and this matter is a challenge for civil defense personnel in dealing with tower fires. He asked about coordination and cooperation with the concerned authorities in monitoring and inspecting buildings to ensure the existence of security and safety systems, and about the number of violations that have been detected in this regard, and coordination efforts regarding setting requirements for windows and balconies of buildings. Installing fire detectors and subscribing to the electronic system before home construction. His Excellency Mohamed Ahmed Al Yammahi said that the statistics for 2019 show that the percentage of home fires reached 66% of the total building and establishment fires, and this requires that federal and local housing projects construct residential buildings by applying the requirement to install fire detectors and subscribe to the electronic system directly before the building is completed, as well as He pointed out that there were some challenges in building a water network for pumping water during fire accidents. He asked about the coordination efforts between the ministry and local and federal housing projects regarding the implementation of security and safety measures for homes, and procedures for ensuring the provision of special networks to pump water in some areas of the country in the event of fires. Coordination with educational institutions to offer educational and academic programs Her Excellency Dr. Moza Hamroor Al Ameri said that the Ministry of Interior has cooperated with many academic institutions such as the Civil Defense Academy and Rabdan Academy to offer civil defense qualifications to train and qualify their enrollees scientifically and professionally, but we believe it is important to coordinate with educational institutions in the country to offer educational and academic programs such as Emergency and crisis management programs, where it was found that civil defense personnel would be sent for training in specialized fields outside the country, which resulted in the high cost of training in these countries. She wondered about the existence of a plan to offer academic programs in the field of emergencies and crises inside the country. The participation of homes and residential homes in the civil defense connection and electronic monitoring system Her Excellency Aisha Al-Bairaq said that the Ministry of Interior is one of the leading ministries in providing government services in a way that achieves a competitive advantage, and is considered a reference in evaluating the distinguished government performance. Through immediate response, what are the percentages of implementation and what are the cases and categories covered. And she demanded that the ministry adopt the initiative to sponsor the installation of devices for those who receive social assistance from the Ministry of Community Development. His Excellency Sabreen Al Yammahi said: The UAE looks at the citizen in all respects, as the Civil Defense Department issues special approvals for investment plans and their approval, and after the start of their implementation, it asks investors to make some fundamental changes within the security and safety system, even if it was previously approved by it in the event that any decision is issued. New landlord may have costly modifications. She is wondering about flexibility in implementing these decisions and finding possible alternatives that fulfill the required purpose and at the same time take into account the investor. His Excellency Shatha Al Naqbi said that the UAE enjoys the length of the coastal strip, and in some cases medium or large accidents may occur to ships, and she inquired about the ministry’s role in dealing with accidents that occur within the country’s territorial waters. His Excellency Khalfan Al Shamsi said that the companies operating in the field of examination suffer from some challenges in their field work, inquiring about the periodic meetings between companies, management and strategic experts in the Civil Defense Department to listen to their proposals as strategic partners. Representatives of the Ministry of Interior responded: The Emirati code that was developed after consulting with all partners is included in this topic, and the meeting takes place with all partners and their opinions and proposals are taken in any amendment that is made, and workshops are also addressed and held with all concerned authorities from municipalities and economic entities when making any amendment Done on the code. His Excellency Mohammed Al-Kashf said, in its report, the committee dealt with the bonus, health, safety, and readiness of centers in terms of equipment and cadres in various state centers, and it is imperative to benefit from the experiences of retirees and to teach them to harness these experiences and information to benefit from them as advice in the future. Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded: A wonderful proposal and we are fortunate with the national service in terms of transferring knowledge and expertise. His Excellency Hamad Ahmed Al-Rahumi, First Deputy Chairman of the Council said: The committee’s report touched upon the need to increase salaries, incentives, bonuses, increase risk allowance and provide health insurance, to encourage citizens to join the civil defense, and we are a country competing for competencies, so I hope that there will be a comparison between salaries in departments. Local and federal within the state so that there is a recruitment of competencies in the local and federal in order to preserve the specialized human cadre. He inquired about the existence of a database for former civil defense personnel to be called in at the time of major disasters to be a support team in time of need. H.E. . His Highness replied: We have included 15 firefighters in the civil defense team and they have proven their efficiency. HE Naameh Al Mansouri inquired about the Ministry’s procedures in dealing with repeated fire alarms due to the use of incense in homes.Kifah Al-Zaabi said: Natural disasters such as hurricanes may occur in the region, and their repercussions may reach the eastern coast and some regions in the Arabian Gulf. Representatives of the Ministry of the Interior responded: The Crisis and Disasters Authority is concerned with leadership in times of disasters, and plans have been prepared in coordination with all partners at an integrated national level, and the Ministry of Interior also works with its partners in preparing laws and plans that are updated and tested to show their effectiveness. Her Excellency Mary Majid bin Thaniya touched on volunteer work in the specialized civil defense, and the importance of finding volunteer individuals to work as support in the defense process and in cases of disasters and emergencies, and inquired about the existence of a plan in the ministry to rehabilitate community members from residents and citizens. Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded: Volunteering in the field of civil defense is open and there are volunteers specializing in medicine and engineering from various specialties and they are skilled in this field, and there is a plan to take advantage of the national service model, which includes in its ranks national cadres of all specialties, and we prefer to work With the national service because we are not dealing with an individual, rather we are dealing with an institution. His Excellency Ahmed Abu Shehab Al Suwaidi inquired about the existence of laboratories specialized in preparing reports of fire accidents, explaining that the specialized forensic laboratory supports the analysis of the results of the reports in case studies. Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded: The criminal laboratories in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have an independent department and are specialized in fire accidents, and the fire may be related to a criminal or economic matter and others, but if it is isolated, the value of the laboratory will decrease, and there is a specialization for everything. These laboratories are internationally specialized. His Excellency Adnan Hamad Al Hammadi addressed the focus of training outputs at the College of Civil Defense, and suggested that its role should not be limited to qualification and annual courses, by adopting educational programs in fire sciences and creating a specialized teaching and educational staff to manage and operate the Academy. Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded: The Academy provides international levels of specialized courses and there are no scientific certificates worldwide regarding civil defense. His Excellency Sumaya Abdullah Al-Suwaidi touched on the recurring incidents of losing tourists in the mountainous regions, and suggested establishing a rescue center equipped with advanced equipment and mechanisms in mountainous areas, including Jabal Jais, to accelerate the immediate response to reports that require search and rescue.His Highness replied: There is an independent body concerned with search and rescue that uses the latest types of aircraft and the latest devices and equipment .. We have three levels of response, the first level is local and may need support at the federal level, and the third at the specialized level. The representatives of the ministry responded: With regard to search and rescue, there is a national center for search and rescue that covers the mountainous Jais region, equipped with the latest devices such as helicopters and civil defense teams are trained and have all the preparations, devices and equipment to deal with such incidents. His Excellency Humaid Al-Abbar Al-Shamsi called for organizing remote courses for homeowners, children and assisting groups on how to deal with fire extinguishers in homes and cars. Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded that specialized courses were held through social media, and these courses are also available on the ministry’s website, and they can be viewed, and many of them are directed to people of determination and in different languages. His Excellency Dr. Tariq Al Tayer said that I submit a proposal to build a huge network of tanks in various residential and industrial areas, to supply water in the event of fire, which would contribute to reducing the cost for investors, dispensing with electrical pumps and maintenance, and linking the network to new homes. Lieutenant-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed responded: Every building or warehouse needs specific extinguishing specifications, as the stored petroleum or highly flammable materials do not use water. Her Excellency Hind Hamid Al-Alili suggested the use of an ionic smoke detector in homes, which measures the density of smoke to bypass the problem of some alarm |
