Fire safety systems on school buses have been stepped up ahead of the academic year following a new government directive to retrofit vehicles with the latest protection measures.
About 70 per cent of vehicle fires start in the engine but the new fire safety systems are capable of reacting quickly and extinguishing flames before they spread.
Of the 17,000 school buses on UAE roads, about 2,500 have already been fitted with specialist automatic extinguishers, after the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology made the installation of fire suppression systems mandatory on April 15.
The systems have already been compulsory on newly manufactured buses since 2018 but older vehicles must now comply with the latest technology since the latest ruling. As thousands of children prepare to head back to school, work is well under way to retrofit fleets of older buses to ensure they are up to date with the latest safety standards.
Although bus fires are rare, when they do break out they can spread quickly, with devastating consequences. Fleet operators across the country are now looking to fit the systems in all school buses, with installation costs of up to Dh6,000 ($1,630).
Sam Malins, chief executive of Reacton Fire Suppression Systems, said many operators have upgraded vehicles during the summer, to coincide with licensing renewal.
“We have been manufacturing and stockpiling systems for nearly a year in anticipation of these regulations being implemented – we have warehouses full of systems ready to go,” he said.
“We also have a strong manufacturing production line to ensure we are well stocked. We know that our systems work highly effectively, as it has already saved a vehicle in Abu Dhabi from a potential major fire.”
Racing-car tech
The technology, which can be installed within a few hours, works by detecting fires through a tubular device that monitors abnormal engine temperatures.
Once triggered, a dry chemical agent is released from a pressurised cylinder to extinguish flames. The "burst-tube" technology was developed originally for racing cars, due to its efficiency in rapid response to prevent flames spreading to fuel lines.
The technology responds immediately and automatically, while drivers receive a dashboard alert, allowing driver and passengers to get out.
“School buses are the first phase of rolling out these systems and we will see further implementation to other buses and vehicles,” said Mr Malins.
“Costs are only a few thousand dirhams, with the price depending on the size of the vehicle and specific requirements. This is very much in line with international standards. However, we have seen in international markets the deployment of cheap systems which have failed in the event of fires, so we must avoid cheap, inferior products.”
Systems are rigorously tested by the Emirates Safety Laboratory before vehicles are released back into operation. Fires on school buses are thankfully extremely rare.
The most recent report of a serious blaze was in 2022 in Sharjah, when young passengers were evacuated on the way home from school.
Sharjah Civil Defence responded immediately to the incident in Al Taawun and no injuries were reported.
Most buses are provided by fleet operators, although some schools will have their own fleet to manage.
For older school buses that are still safely operational, a few considerations are under discussion to determine how they will be brought up to new standards, said Thomas Edelmann founder of RoadSafety UAE.
“As we understand the situation, the final plan has not been agreed yet and governmental entities like RTA [Roads and Transport Authority] are still reviewing the final policy,” he said.
“Different emirates appear to be taking varied approaches. A meaningful regulatory solution for older buses, taking into account the investment costs for operators, should be developed.
“Leading bus fleet operators should be consulted to identify suitable solutions jointly with regulators, who should be invited to provide clarity and share their perspective.”
Safety priority
Annual fees for school transport services can vary, and are largely dependent on location and school, but range from Dh7,000 to almost Dh10,000. Safety innovations have become a priority for the thousands of yellow school buses on UAE roads.
Most are now fitted with collision-avoidance systems, anti-lock brakes, GPS trackers and three-point safety belts for passengers. New fire regulations covering school buses were launched in April to require all vehicles with 22 sets or more to have fire suppression devices fitted.
Taaleem, which runs 34 schools across the country, has been working with STS Group that provides a bus service for pupils.
“As schools reopen, the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority, including when travelling to and from school,” said Maha Laasri, health and safety manager at Taaleem.
“We work closely with STS to ensure all buses meet or exceed current regulatory requirements. In line with the new regulations introduced in April, STS has confirmed this will be implemented across their fleet at the point of renewal, while existing buses continue to be equipped with fire extinguishers and supported by trained staff.
“As one of the UAE’s largest education providers, we welcome any measures that further strengthen student safety, and we are confident that the introduction of these new systems will build on the strong track record of safety that STS already upholds.”
While the RTA is responsible for speed limiters on buses and lorries, it is not clear if it will also be responsible for checking compliance with fire safety installations on school buses. The RTA was contacted for comment.
The Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology is responsible for development of standards, product registration and installation guidance, but has no authority for enforcement of non-compliant bus operators.
David Campbell is general manager at Emirates Safety Laboratory, the only lab in the Emirates certified for testing and certification of bus fire safety systems, as well as annual checks.
Mr Campbell warned against fleets installing safety systems that have not been approved to UAE standards.
“These systems are needed because most bus fires originate underneath the bus in the engine compartments,” he said. “A fire can take hold and engulf the entire bus in less time than it takes to evacuate the occupants, which is a significant life safety risk to the passengers.
“When compliant, fitted and maintained properly, these systems protect the bus from destruction and, more importantly, give all passengers safe passage to evacuate.
“It is relatively easy to retrofit the buses with a compliant system and there are plenty of quality products available in the UAE market. The buses will need to be reinspected and reapproved annually to ensure they maintain compliance.”
MATCH INFO
Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)
Results
Female 49kg: Mayssa Bastos (BRA) bt Thamires Aquino (BRA); points 0-0 (advantage points points 1-0).
Female 55kg: Bianca Basilio (BRA) bt Amal Amjahid (BEL); points 4-2.
Female 62kg: Beatriz Mesquita (BRA) v Ffion Davies (GBR); 10-2.
Female 70kg: Thamara Silva (BRA) bt Alessandra Moss (AUS); submission.
Female 90kg: Gabreili Passanha (BRA) bt Claire-France Thevenon (FRA); submission.
Male 56kg: Hiago George (BRA) bt Carlos Alberto da Silva (BRA); 2-2 (2-0)
Male 62kg: Gabriel de Sousa (BRA) bt Joao Miyao (BRA); 2-2 (2-1)
Male 69kg: Paulo Miyao (BRA) bt Isaac Doederlein (USA); 2-2 (2-2) Ref decision.
Male 77kg: Tommy Langarkar (NOR) by Oliver Lovell (GBR); submission.
Male 85kg: Rudson Mateus Teles (BRA) bt Faisal Al Ketbi (UAE); 2-2 (1-1) Ref decision.
Male 94kg: Kaynan Duarte (BRA) bt Adam Wardzinski (POL); submission.
Male 110kg: Joao Rocha (BRA) bt Yahia Mansoor Al Hammadi (UAE); submission.
JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 310hp
Torque: 366Nm
Price: Dh200,000
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
Gulf rugby
Who’s won what so far in 2018/19
Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain
What’s left
UAE Conference
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers
March 29, final
UAE Premiership
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes
March 29, final
More from Aya Iskandarani
Super Bowl LIII schedule
What Super Bowl LIII
Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams
Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States
When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)
Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
