- Title: QATAR-CIVIL DEFENCE Latest fire safety technology on display at Qatar trade fair
- Date: 3rd November 2015
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (NOVEMBER 2, 2015) (REUTERS) CIVIL DEFENCE TRUCK ON DISPLAY VISITORS INSPECTING CIVIL DEFENCE TRUCK SECURITY OFFICERS TALKING VISITORS WALKING IN EXHIBITION DAMAGED CAR ON DISPLAY MAN WALKING ACROSS A SIGN THAT READS (Arabic and English) "5TH CIVIL DEFENCE EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) EMPLOYEE AT SAUDI FACTORY FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, ISLAM AL-HUSSEINI, SAYING: "The Qatari market is a promising and supporting market for us. It is a strong market for fire safety products because such products are present in every building in Qatar. It's a promising market and is booming." SECURITY OFFICERS AT EXHIBITION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PREVENTION DEPARTMENT AT CIVIL DEFENCE DEPARTMENT AND GENERAL COORDINATOR OF THE EXHIBITION, MAJOR AMAN HUSSEIN ALI, SAYING: "During the past few years and over the coming years, we have seen that any product related to people's safety and security that comes into Qatar, is of the highest quality. There are also between 300 to 400 safety related companies working in the Qatari market. We brought various companies to the exhibition, with different products and different price ranges to avoid inflation. If we tour the exhibition, we can find tens of companies selling fire extinguishers or fire alarms. This creates competition and keeps prices low." VARIOUS OF VISITORS WALKING IN EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF OFFICERS AT QATARI SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM BOOTH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) GENERAL MANAGER OF GULF SECURITY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OMAR HAIDER, SAYING: "They recruited many experienced people to upgrade fire safety systems which are obligatory in Qatar. This explains the big boom in fire and safety sound systems in the country because the government gives special attention to this issue. This is understandable given the high temperatures in Qatar and fire risk in it is not easy, unlike cold countries in Europe. This created huge development in this field." MAN ARRANGING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS CIVIL DEFENCE VEHICLE ON DISPLAY MAN CHECKING VEHICLE VISITORS WALKING IN EXHIBITION VARIOUS OF AN EXHIBITOR ACTIVATING A FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
- Embargoed: 18th November 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Qatar
- Country: Qatar
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9BMGNXOPHA177JFV7VBZ2Q3O5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The latest firefighting and safety technology is being showcased at a three-day event in Qatar.
The fifth Civil Defence Exhibition, which kicked off on Monday (November 2), aims to introduce advanced machinery and security equipment for use in emergency situations.
Over 90 local, regional and global companies, representing 1250 global manufactures and agencies are participating in this year's event.
An employee at a Saudi factory producing fire extinguishers, Islam al-Husseini, said sales were strong in Qatar.
"The Qatari market is a promising and supporting market for us. It is a strong market for fire safety products because such products are present in every building in Qatar. It's a promising market and is booming," he said.
The country of 1.7 million people, most of them expatriates, has outlined public investment plans worth $95 billion over five years to 2016 as it prepares to host the 2022 soccer World Cup.
The exhibition's coordinator, Major Aman Hussein Ali, said the show was a good opportunity for local companies to learn about the latest safety products available on the market.
"During the past few years and over the coming years, we have seen that any product related to people's safety and security that comes into Qatar, is of the highest quality. There are also between 300 to 400 safety related companies working in the Qatari market. We brought various companies to the exhibition, with different products and different price ranges to avoid inflation. If we tour the exhibition, we can find tens of companies selling fire extinguishers or fire alarms. This creates competition and keeps prices low," he said.
In March this year, Qatar's cabinet approved new measures to improve local fire safety regulations.
These include not granting licences to commercial and industrial premises until they have valid fire detection systems. The owners of the properties are also required to regularly maintain the systems.
One of the exhibitors at the Doha event said tighter regulations and increased awareness about fire safety would lead to the growth of market for such products.
"They recruited many experienced people to upgrade fire safety systems which are obligatory in Qatar. This explains the big boom in fire and safety sound systems in the country because the government gives special attention to this issue. This is understandable given the high temperatures in Qatar and fire risk in it is not easy, unlike cold countries in Europe. This created huge development in this field," said the General Manager of the Gulf Security Equipment Company, Omar Haider.
Qatar's safety standards were questioned after a series of fires in 2012, in which left dozens dead.
Fires broke out at an aviation college and a girls' school in Qatar in May of that year, a day after 19 foreigners died in a shopping mall blaze, an incident that was described as one of the worst tragedies to strike Qatar in recent years.
The shopping mall fire prompted the government to set up a special committee to monitor building safety standards. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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