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Tribune News Network
Doha
THE General Directorate of Civil Defense achieved a significant reduction in the average response time last year that indicated 7-10 minutes to reach at the scenes, compared with 7-12 minutes in 2016.
The Civil Defense Sectors in the South, North and Doha recorded a decrease in response time by 1 to 3 minutes, despite the works on roads, intersections, bridges and tunnels as well as the urban growth that makes delays in reaching the sites, according to Fire Reports Statistics - 2017 released by the directorate.
In the report, the directorate said it has been able to achieve global records in response to fire, thanks to the efforts made during the past years, both in the training of cadres and distribution of fire stations in different regions.
According to the statistics, a total of 1,663 incidents were registered last year in spite of the urban development and the infrastructure works, which have witnessed a great expansion throughout the country.
Farm fires, vehicle collisions and fires at industrial units declined significantly last year, compared with 2016.
In 2017, 16 fires were recorded at industrial establishments (23 in 2016), 21 fires on farms (29 in 2016) and 316 vehicle collisions (316 in 2016).
The public plays a key role in regulating response time, as the proper and timely reporting and providing detailed information about the location help the firefighting teams reach the spots faster, the directorate said.
In order to promote the awareness of fire-safety procedures, the directorate carried out 5,903 training activities in 2017, including mock drills, lectures, training and exhibitions. It organised 61 trainings courses at a number of organisations in the public and private sectors, benefiting 936 trainees, compared with 53 courses benefiting 765 trainees in 2016. In terms of training in the private and government sectors, the number of trained bodies reached 1,153, compared with 763 in 2016.
As part of ensuring the safety of residential buildings and institutional units, 31,537 engineering plans were examined by the directorate in 2017, of which 12,046 were approved. Amendments were recommended to 18,991 plans to comply with the latest safety procedures and standards. In 2017, the directorate considered 15,142 products related to safety systems and approved 10,516 that met the required specifications.
The number of students enrolled at the RasLaffan Emergency and Safety College doubled in 2018 to 87 students in place of 49 students in 2017 and 12 in 2016. The college also presented several accredited trainers and specialised courses in the fields of fire, emergency and safety.
