Abu Dhabi opens new emergency rescue points across the emirate

Numerous emergency rescue points have opened across Abu Dhabi to boost safety in the emirate.

Rescue and firefighting sites have been established to improve emergency response times when dealing with accidents, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported on Thursday.

The Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority (ADCDA) said all 37 emergency sites will be equipped with advanced technology and equipment to help response teams deal with accidents more efficiently.

There will be 16 in Abu Dhabi, 14 in Al Ain and seven in Al Dhafra region. They will serve as bases for police, ambulance, and car-recovery response teams.

Brig Salem Abdullah Al Dhaheri, acting director general of ADCDA, said the initiative is aimed at boosting safety in the emirate.

The strategy includes training human resources and developing programmes and operations, he said.

The safety initiative comes as homeowners are required to install smoke and fire detectors, as well as subscribe to the UAE alert system, by January 1.

The move, which the UAE Cabinet approved in 2020, applies to all existing and planned residences.

More than 21,000 warnings were issued in five months this year for buildings in Abu Dhabi that failed to adhere to fire safety regulations

ADCDA inspected 10,753 residential and commercial buildings in the emirate between May and October.

It led to 21,271 warnings for buildings in Abu Dhabi city, Al Ain and Al Dhafra that were found not to be compliant with fire safety requirements.

A grace period – the duration of which was not disclosed – was given to property owners to rectify non-compliant elements.

The Civil Defence at the time said it would monitor the properties. The plan is to enhance fire safety standards throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi.