6-year plan to put an end to home fires in UAE

PHOTO

A major fires safety plan was launched on Wednesday to provide end-to-end fire safety solutions to every villa in the UAE, according to authorities.

Aimed at putting an end to home fires in the country, Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior (MoI), unveiled and initiative 'Hassantuk for Villas,' which will cover 400,000 homes across the country in six years.

The inauguration followed the signing of an agreement between the MOI and etisalat in June this year to supply, install and maintain smart fire alarm systems in homes across the country.

Hassantuk, which translates to 'Protect You' in Arabic, optimises the UAE's key response to fire and emergency alerts through a 24/7 connected fire alarm system, by utilising advanced artificial intelligence (AI) smart technologies to monitor and report fire.

Captain Humaid Abdullah Al Ali, head of advisory experts office and project manager of Hassantuk for Villas, told Khaleej Times: "Since June, 1,200 homes have the smart system implemented, which includes old and new villas.

"We believe we will achieve an incredible result and we have a road map to continue to develop and advance the project. We are not stopping here, because we aim to achieve the best in the future."

He said the alarm system immediately alerts the people in the house and the civil defence control room.

"This system will help us respond faster, thus minimising the number of deaths. Statistics reveal that most deaths in residential fires were caused by smoke, not by the fire."

Just last week, the country mourned eight Emiratis, including a one-year-old baby, who tragically lost their lives in a house fire in Baniyas.

Investigations revealed that electrical short circuit caused the fire, while they were asleep. The victims died from smoke inhalation during their sleep, revealed authorities.

"We are not telling people to fight the fire, we are telling them to be alert when there is danger," said Captain Al Ali.

He said that the aim of the system is to cut response time from the aspect of the civil defence, as well as the aspect of those living inside the house. "If the parents are sleeping on the ground floor and their children are on the first floor, how long will it take for them to reach the kids? The smoke may reach the children before the parents can save them," he warned.

Captain Al Ali said the response time now for the civil defence is between four-six minutes. However, the revolutionary system will help cut this time, as "each second counts". "If the response time is four minutes, we want to cut it to three minutes."

Major General Jaseem Mohammed Al Marzouqi, general commander of civil defence, said that the MOI is working diligently to implement the fire monitoring system, as per the government directives, to link up residential homes to the civil defence control rooms.

He added that advanced fire monitoring and safety systems for residential properties are also being initiated.

Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, CEO Etisalat Group, said the initiative works hand-in-hand with UAE's Vision 2021 of making the UAE one of the safest countries in the world.

"Together with the MOI, we aim to provide the highest levels of protection standards by complying with international norms, guidelines and procedures in firefighting and rescue operations."

Old houses also obliged to install system, says official

Brigadier Mohammed Al Nuaimi, director-general of fire and protection affairs at the general command of civil defence, said: "Old houses in the state will be obliged to instal the system. We want to guarantee the safety of all people.

"Today, people are becoming more aware about the dangers of fires, and this is another step to stop the loss of lives due to house fires."

Major General Jaseem Mohammed Al Marzouqi, general commander of civil defence, urged home-owners to not delay installing the life-saving device. "I urge parents to make this a priority and instal the system as safety of children is the most valuable aspect in life."

He that people often neglect the safety measures before going to sleep. This includes switching off fans in the kitchen and the bathroom, unplugging cell phones from the charger and turning off the water-heater.

"We have seen tragedies occur and the loss of lives due to house fires. Please, I urge you, don't make any excuses to delay. Fires, and especially those that occur during sleep hours, are the most dangerous."

How 'Hassantuk for Villas' works

>The fully automated system detects smoke, heat or fire round the clock

>It does not require WiFi or Internet connection

>It works via sensors on radio frequency

>If there is disruption in electricity services, it sends off an alert

>Any hazard is sounded off to the villa residents and civil defence

Cost

>The initial setup will cover 2 years of service. For instance, for a 4-bedroom villa, the setup costs Dh5,816.

>After 2 years, the amount will be Dh60 per year, plus Dh355 for maintenance fees

>The system will take around 36 hours to install

How to apply

> Website: www.hassantuk.moi.gov.ae

> Phone: 80022220

Disclaimer: The content of this article is syndicated or provided to this website from an external third party provider. We are not responsible for, and do not control, such external websites, entities, applications or media publishers. The body of the text is provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither we nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this article. Read our full disclaimer policy here.