The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has carried out a successful fire drill emulating an overturn of several vehicles in the Airport Tunnel in Dubai. The operation involved 11 federal & local government entities namely: The National Emergency, Crises and Disaster Management Authority; Emergency, Crises, and Disaster Management Team - Dubai; General HQ of Dubai Police, Directorate General of Civil Defence – Dubai; Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services; Dubai Municipality; Dubai Electricity & Water Authority; Dubai Health Authority; Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Emirates Airline; and Dubai Airports.
Following the successful delivery of the drill, Ahmed Hashim Bahrozyan, Head of Emergency & Crises Management Team cum CEO of Licensing Agency, RTA, praised the excellent concerted efforts of strategic partners. He noted that the drill proved the preparedness of the Dubai entities & Departments to cope with major accidents, and showed the consistent communication & streamlined coordination between the participants.
“The drill involved 300 persons from various entities, in addition to 14 specialist firefighting & rescue vehicles including Civil Defence site leadership vehicle, 9 ambulance vehicles, field hospital (Disaster Bus), 20 police patrol & rescue vehicles, and 30 vehicles from the RTA,” said Bahrozyan.
“The mock drill emulated a major collision in the Tunnel between two vehicles; one loaded with inflammable materials and the other loaded with paints. The virtual accident was presumed to have triggered other crashes involving a public bus, taxicab and two private vehicles. The accident resulted in a situation warranting rapid deployment of RTA’s Emergency & Crises Management Team as well as an effective & direct intervention of the said 11 government & semi-government entities.”
“The drill lasted more than four hours during which the Airport Tunnel was closed in the direction of Al Qusais and Sharjah. The operation examined the preparedness of RTA’s Emergency & Crises Management Team as well as its counterparts in other government bodies, and verified the readiness of these teams to intervene & contain such accidents,” noted Bahrozyan.
View News Headlines
