Dubai Civil Defense adopts GIS mapping, shortens response time

Civil defence authorities in Dubai will now have access to a comprehensive 3D map of Dubai, which will provide firefighters with necessary background information during operations.
The technology for the service will be provided by the Dubai Municipality's Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Centre, the first of its kind in the Middle East's city planning and engineering industry.
Through the up-to-date 3D profile of the emirate - which has been done by the DM's Geo Dubai project - firefighters will be able to know information such as entry and exit points; how a site can be accessed; how high a building is; and what safety and security protocols must be followed, among others.
All the available data can help the civil defence team decide what kind of vehicles and strategies are needed for a particular fire incident.
Hologram conference
And what better way to launch such an innovative tool than with a high-tech Press conference? Major-General Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, director-general of the Dubai Civil Defence, explained the GIS mapping project from a remote location - via hologram.
"The availability of (GIS mapping) technology will shorten the response time of firefighters, which is a strategic objective of the civil defence department," Major-General Al Matrooshi said as a hologram on Tuesday (May 28) at the Dubai Municipality's (DM) city hall.
Even the partnership signing with the DM was done via hologram.
Maj-Gen Al Matrooshi and Dawoud Al Hajri, director-general of the DM, affixed their digital signatures to a memorandum of understanding, using smart electronic panels.
Al Hajri said the agreement is part of the strategies to develop and implement geospatial infrastructure in Dubai.
"We will exchange information and resources available between the two establishments to provide a comprehensive, unified and up-to-date basic map to be used as an effective tool for planning, designing and managing expansion and development projects," he said.
A service level agreement between the two departments will be prepared within a period of three months. It will include details of cooperation for the exchange of maps; integration of geospatial systems; and the bases of their participation with other bodies. It will also offer technical support and advisory services, as well as capacity-building and electronic links between the two teams.
Al Matrooshi said: "This project has a role in enabling various bodies to ensure accurate, scientific planning and sustainable and balanced organisational development. The presence of a digital, interactive GIS centre will combine planning resources, and thus enhance the shared vision of development projects."
The GIS Centre of the DM has been designated as the official source and depository of geographical and digital data and information about the emirate, from various local departments, public institutions, people, and companies operating in Dubai.
How the 3D map of Dubai helps firefighters
>Available online and can be accessed with a username and password
>Provides background information such as: entry and exit points, building height, safety and security protocols, and how a site can be accessed
>Allows them to dispatch the right kind of vehicles, follow safety procedures, and communicate with the Dubai Police, as necessary
>No paper trail of communication necessary between government departments
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com