Fire & Rescue Agenda

Steve Apter QFSM, Consultant/ Former UK Chief Fire Officer | Apter Consulting Ltd

Lt. Col. Dr Essa Ahmed Al Mutawa, Chief AI Officer & Head of Monitoring & Inspection | Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence

Major Engineer. Ali Almadfaei | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority

• Cladding Overhaul in UAE Buildings: Reasons behind the widespread replacement of combustible cladding materials in UAE buildings, exploring the timeline, scope, and challenges associated with this massive renovation project.
• Impact on Building Safety and Compliance: Effectiveness of new cladding regulations in enhancing fire safety standards and mitigating risks posed by combustible materials, discussing measures taken to retrofit existing structures and ensure compliance with updated requirements.
• The practical challenges faced by developers, contractors, and building owners in transitioning to compliant cladding systems, highlighting opportunities for innovation and collaboration in the construction industry.

Moderator:
Abdullah Faza, Director of Fire & Life Safety – ME | AESG

Speaker:

• Colonel Issa Abdullah Al Marzouqi, Acting Deputy Director of the Rescue and Fire Sector | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority 
• Eng. Salma Humaid Saeed, Head of drawings and projects section, Directorate General | Dubai Civil Defence
• Eng. Mohammad Basher Albelbisi, Sr. Architect | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority
• Eng. Hamad Abdelrahman, Civil prevention | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority

Datu Khirudin Drahman, Deputy Fire Commissioner | Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia

Major Hamad Swar, Director - Crisis and Disaster Management Directorate | Ministry of Interior – Kingdom of Bahrain

Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer & Director of Community Safety | Oxfordshire County Council

Over the past 3 years, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has responded to over 1,000 fires. Involving lithium-ion batteries. This presentation will describe the FDNY’s ongoing efforts to meet the fire safety challenges of this rapidly evolving technology, with a specific focus on the following areas:

• Implementing a data-driven approach to identifying and categorizing fires involving a lithium-ion battery in NYC and efficiently deploying resources for emergency response, fire prevention, and community education.
• Developing and executing a safe and efficient emergency response operating procedure, which addresses extinguishment of lithium-ion battery fires, hazard assessment of burned or damaged batteries, and the safe removal and proper packaging of damaged batteries for disposal.
• Building an inter-organizational network to coordinate the eHorts of the various stakeholders in the green energy sphere, such as other government agencies, academic institutions, non-profit advocacy groups, and representatives from private industry.

Speakers:

• Captain Matthew Quinn, Lead Officer - Emerging Technologies HazMat Operations | New York City Fire Department
• Lt. John Cassidy, Emerging Technologies HazMat Operations | New York City Fire Department

Analysing how shifting climate patterns are influencing fire risks and management strategies globally and in the Middle East

Moderator:
Steve Apter QFSM, Consultant/ Former UK Chief Fire Officer | Apter Consulting Ltd

Speakers:

• Datu Khirudin Drahman, Deputy Fire Commissioner | Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia 
• Paul Jennings, Assistant Fire Commissioner, Fire and Rescue Services, Operations | Red Sea Global
• Dana Nassif, Senior Consultant - Fire & Life Safety | WSP Middle East

• What you need to know about the Aerosol Technology
• Industries and Applications where Aerosols make a Difference
• Concerns about the Environment
• Government Agencies’ Impact on the Fire Protection Industry

Jim Dickinson, Executive Vice President of Global Sales | Stat-X Fire Suppression

Hazard assessments play a vital role in identifying fire and explosion risks in industrial facilities. However, these assessments often result in thick reports that detail risks without providing specific steps on how to address them. This panel will focus on how to make hazard assessments more effective by not only identifying problems but also offering practical solutions that companies can act on immediately. The goal is to help facilities bridge the gap between “knowing the problem” and “solving the problem.”

Moderator:
Ihab Farag, Executive Vice President, Fike Corporation

Speakers:

• Adam Batz, Manager Global Consulting, Fike Corporation
• Eng. Salma Humaid Saeed, Head of drawings and projects section, Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence
• Alexander Castellanos, Head of Fire and Life Safety, AtkinsRéalis
• Sourav Chatterjee, Senior Risk Engineer, Risk Solutions, Lockton (MENA) Limited
• Anil Sharma, Director-Insurance, Corporate-Finance, IFFCO

Traditional hazard mitigation systems generally follow one of two approaches. The first is the “single-source” solution, where facilities rely on products from a single vendor, limiting the range of available technology to one provider’s catalogue. The second is a “multi-source” approach, where multiple vendors are used, often resulting in a disjointed system that may not work well together. Both approaches can leave gaps in hazard monitoring, analysis, and response, making it difficult to fully assess safety needs and slowing down response times.

Moderator:

• Ihab Farag, Managing Director | Fike Corporation

Speakers:

• Rick Jeffress, Technical Director | Fike Corporation

Abby So, Chief Operation Officer | FM Approvals

Through our participation in various fire-stopping industry associations and technical meetings, we identified a key gap in training and quality regarding engineering judgment providers who often lack mastery of relevant certification requirements. In response, we have developed a technical evaluation developer program to improve the content and quality of engineering judgments.

Moderator:

Ghaith Bakir, Senior Regulatory Engineer-MEA | UL Solutions

Speakers:

• Capt. Eng. Mohamed Alhanaee, Civil Protection Department | Abu Dhabi Civil Defense Authority
• Abhishek Chhabra, Director of International Initiatives | FCIA
• Selenay Gozde Simsek, Senior Consultant - Fire & Life Safety | WSP

Eng. Youssef Boksmati, Support & Development Director | Riyadh Second Health Cluster

• Gain insights into the importance of readiness in emergency management and crisis response.
• The need to have The Arab Society for Emergency, Crises, and Disaster Management for MENA region  
• Understand how the "Certificate of Professionalism for the Arab Society in Emergency Management and Crisis and Disaster Management" offers a transformative journey towards preparedness and resilience. 
• Explore a meticulously tailored path that equips individuals with practical skills and strategic insights crucial for effective crisis handling. 
• Learn about the stringent eligibility criteria that ensure participants exceed the benchmarks of excellence, shaping them into adept leaders in emergency management.

Professor Eng. Naill AlMomani, Co-founder | Resilience Edge Solutions 

Wafaa Khairy Albaz CFPS, Certified Fire Protection Specialist, Senior Firefighting Engineer | General Petroleum Company "GPC"

This exciting new security system provides:

• Significant advances in camera technology and image analysis with the help of artificial intelligence that make the early and reliable fire detection with video and thermal imaging cameras possible.
• The opportunity to immediately detect the development of fire, smoke, flames and heat within large natural areas like forests but also in storage halls with critical raw materials or in recycling facilities.
• The standardization level at ISO has made significant progress in the last months. In 2024 the ISO 7240-29:2024 was published specifying the requirements, test methods and performance criteria for video fire detectors.
• Institutions like the UL in the USA have published 2024 new guidelines for the use of video-based systems. In Germany, the VdS will publish new guidelines within the next months.

Tim Dünnemann, Manager Safety & Security Technologies | ZVEI

This presentation is a case study exploring the UK Government's search & rescue response to the Turkiye/Syria earthquake and how these key decisions contributed to the most successful rescue mission in the UK-ISAR team's 25-year history.

• Go, or no go?
• Do your 360-degree assessment
• Doing 'the most for the most'
• Empowerment
• Time to go home

David O’Neill | Institute of Search & Technical Rescue

Enhancing Means of Escape for People with Disabilities and Vulnerable Populations through Accessible Design, Compliance Infrastructure, and Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans

Vasileios C. Psilopoulos, Senior Field Compliance Coordinator | King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra)

Dana Kamal, MENA Director | NFPA

Lt. Col. Dr Essa Ahmed Al Mutawa, Chief AI Officer & Head of Monitoring & Inspection | Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence

Engineer. Mohammed Almarzooqi | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority

Ghaith Bakir, Senior Regulatory Engineer- MEA | UL Solutions

Moderator:

Zahi Daher, International Business Development Manager KSA | The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Panelists:

• Mohamed Saeefan, Fire Protection Engineering Specialist | Saudi Aramco
• Majed Ahli, Senior Security Manager | Dubai Holding Group
• Majed Al Maashari, Safety Protection Services Company Manager | Oman SSS
• Haitham Alqassab, Senior Consultant- Fire & Life Safety | WSP

Jazyah Al Dossary, Fire Protection Engineer | Saudi Aramco

Speaker:
Lorraine Carli, Vice President, Outreach & Advocacy | NFPA

Panel Discussion following Grenfell Keynote

Emerged lessons and calls for transformation that have the potential to drive industry leaders’ response to safety challenges

Moderator:
Olga Caledonia, Director, International Development | NFPA

Speakers:

• David Campbell, General Manager | Dubai Civil Defence’s Emirates Safety Laboratory
• Duncan J. White, Managing Editor | International Fire and Safety Journal (IFSJ)
• Capt. Eng. Mohamed Alhanaee, Civil Protection Department | Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority
• Ibrahim Lari, CEO | SIBCA

Sawsan Dahham, CEO, Siena

Speakers:

• Eng Ahmed Al Sayed, Corporate Facility Management Expert | King Saud University Medical City

Richard Pearson, CPDO | Omniconn

Speaker and workshop facilitator:

• Mahmoud EL-Kady, CEO - MEA Region | QHSEE Platform
• Anwar El Hadary, Senior Marketing Specialist | QHSSE Platform
• Ammar Alaa ElDin Hamad Mohamed, Business Support Manager | QHSEE Platform
• Mohamed Wahid Abdel Rahman, Technology Support Engineer | QHSSE Platform   

1. Incepting Fire & Life Safety
2.  Passive Fire Protection
3. DIIM – The Standard Approach to Effective Implementation

Abhishek Chhabra, Director International Initiatives | FCIA

Moderator:
Abhishek Chhabra, Director of International Initiatives | FCIA

Speaker:

• Susan Lamont, Director, Fire Group Leader Middle East | Arup
• John Sajeev, Company Quality Manager | Alec
• David Campbell, General Manager | Dubai Civil Defence’s Emirates Safety Laboratory
• Sourav Chatterjee, Senior Risk Engineer | Risk Solutions, Lockton (MENA) Limited
• Ahmed Elkiki, Managing Director | Future Hospitality Associates
• Saad Al-Qahtani, Fire Chief | Saudi Aramco Jubail Refinery (SASREF)

Immerse yourself in the enlightening "ESL Learn" workshop series—an engaging array of educational sessions presented by Emirates Safety Laboratories experts.

Elevate your comprehension of crucial fire safety standards and their real-world applications in the dynamic realms of construction and engineering.

Speaker:
Ahmed Yousry, Senior Associate - Business Development, Emirates Safety Laboratory, ESL 

Speaker:
Dr. Sebastian Ukleja, Operations Manager – Testing, Emirates Safety Laboratory, ESL

Moderator:
Tamara Arafat, Certification Business Manager, Emirates Safety Laboratory, ESL 

Speakers:

• Eng. Salma Humaid Saeed, Head of Drawings and Projects section, Directorate General of Dubai Civil Defence
• Dana Kamal, MENA Director, The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA
• Sawsan Dahham, CEO, Siena