Dubai launches mobile floating fire station to cut response times

The 11mph sustainable structure can carry 16 Civil Defence officers

The new floating fire station aims to reduce emergency response times to just four minutes. Photo: Dubai Civil Defence

Dubai has launched a new mobile floating fire station that aims to cut response times to four minutes.

The Civil Defence's floating structure can carry 16 officers, and reach speeds of up to 11mph.

It aims to be 70 per cent more cost-effective than traditional marine stations, and is the first in the world to be sustainable and environmentally friendly, Dubai Media Office reported on Friday.

“The inauguration of this station not only demonstrates our dedication to generating innovative safety solutions but also aligns with our commitment to contributing to enhance Dubai's overall infrastructure and services,” said Lieutenant General Expert Rashid Thani Al Matroushi, director general of Dubai Civil Defence.

He added that it would significantly improve Dubai's responsiveness to accidents at sea.

Because the station does not use up land space, this reduces costs and the emirate's carbon footprint, while preserving green spaces.

Last year, Dubai Civil Defence extinguished a fire on a dhow using a firefighting system including a jetski and a jetpack called Dolphin.

The Dolphin is a jetpack hose used by firefighters to access blazes that are hard to reach from land.

It aims to shorten response times during peak traffic when vehicles can impede access.