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Al Ain: Playing with fire is dangerous but there are men who choose to fight it when it threatens public life and property.
Conducting some 340 operations in the Oasis City last year, the Technical Rescue and Quick Intervention team is a group of professional firefighters.
The Technical Rescue and Quick Intervention (TRQI) is part of the Department of Emergency and Public Safety at the Ministry of Interior and has units in cities and towns across Abu Dhabi.
The TRQI fire squad has two units in Al Ain located in Sanaiya (Industrial Area) and Zakhir districts.
"At these places our units are ideally located for prompt action in case of an eventuality anywhere in the city," said Major Saeed Al Rashidi, head of the TRQI's Al Ain Branch.
He said firefighting is the main part of the squad's responsibilities as its men are fully equipped and trained in conducting all-round rescue operations with the help of the latest machines and technology.
"Be it a fire, traffic accident, a building collapse, or a disaster like an earthquake or a storm, the squad is capable of acting swiftly to save public life and property," said Major Al Rashidi.
The unit has covered some 340 residential and industrial fire incidents and other accidents last year in and around the city.
The Sanaiya unit handled 255 of the incidents, including 203 fires and 37 technical rescue operations. The Zakhir unit fought 69 fires and conducted 11 rescue operations.
In the first three months of this year the Sanaiya unit conducted 80 operations, including 70 fires and 10 accidents.
The TRQI fire squad has emerged as a dependable firefighting and rescue force utilising Emirati, German and Turkish experience.
A team of 216 officials include 130 Emiratis, 60 Turks and 24 Germans in addition to the two general coordinators posted in the two Al Ain units.
Major Mohammad Al Ameri, head of the Emergency and Public Safety Department's Al Ain Branch, said: "All TRQI and all other sections have shown a formidable performance over the last several years saving many ... human lives in accidents and natural calamities."
Prompt action and selfless service are the hallmark of the men and women working in the different units of the organisation, he said.
The squad supplements the Department of Civil Defence in its firefighting efforts and additional responsibilities of rescue. "It has to respond quickly and efficiently as time factor is critical in any eventuality for saving precious lives," said Major Al Ameri.
Sven Geissler, head of the German firefighters team of TRQI, said fire prevention standards in the city, which are lower than those in Europe, are the major worry. "There is a need to enhance and develop the fire prevention strategy in the city," he said.
Many people are careless in conducting regular and proper maintenance of electrical wiring and appliances in residences, buildings, shops, factories, warehouses, workshops and other places, Geissler said.
Smoke detectors, he said, should be installed in all the buildings and work places and people must be cautious during summer, which is the peak time for fire incidents.
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