DUBAI // A mock disaster yesterday taught emergency crews to deal with spills of liquefied petroleum gas.
Three days of training ended with a drill in Al Aweer suburb that simulated a leak of several tons of LPG from a tanker onto a busy road.
Nabeel Ali, chief fire and safety compliance officer for Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc), said LPG shipments were increasing on the nation's motorways and training for public safety officers was vital.
"Because of the new hotels and buildings coming up everywhere in the Emirates, they all use LPG in their facilities," he said. "Therefore the number of tankers with LPG has increased, and it is a risk that cannot be ignored."
A leak of LPG, which is a fuel for heating and cooking and for vehicles, must be handled differently from oil or gas leaks.
"LPG is an extremely sensitive product, and so we are trying our best to inform the police and civil defence on how to tackle it," said Hisham Ali Mustafa, general manager of Enoc.
"What is important is that the gas, once outside of the tanker, has to be cooled so as not to spread and ignite, because it leads to a non-extinguishable fire," he said. "The tanker has to be cooled as well, before removing the remaining gas inside."
Yesterday's drill included 52 officers from the civil defence, police, ambulance, and fire departments attending to an overturned tanker, its injured driver and leaking cargo.
Rescuers quickly freed the trapped driver and brought him to safety, a considerable distance away from the accident site. As medics attended to him, the police, fire, and civil defence turned their attention to the tanker, which was said to be holding about 10 tonnes of LPG. They spent much of their time dousing the scene with water.
Once the tanker was sufficiently cooled, a rescue vehicle provided by Enoc siphoned the LPG from the overturned tanker. The vehicle has gas detection systems and a cold-welding system.
Several policemen pushed back crowds of people, which Mr Mustafa said was essential to preventing a fire.
"The LPG could be ignited by anything, such as mobile phones, electronic items, so people who rush to see an accident, especially the media, should stand away from gas spills," he said.
Mr Mustafa emphasised that the priority in an LPG accident was to stop leaks and cool the gas: "A spill should not escalate into a fire."
Civil Defence holds drills throughout the year to ensure its workers are up to date on the techniques and equipment used in the types of disasters that especially threaten the UAE, among them warehouse fires, huge traffic accidents, collapsed cranes and oil-tanker collisions.
According to Mr Mustafa, there have been about 50 tanker spills in the Emirates in the past 10 years, most of them petrol. Only one of those tankers was carrying LPG.
"This type of incident can never happen, or it can happen six times in the next month. You never know," said an official from Civil Defense who took part in the training. "Therefore it is our duty to be prepared to deal with such a situation.
nsamaha@thenational.ae
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Cherry
Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo
Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo
1/5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs: 2019 Jeep Wrangler
Price, base: Dh132,000
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 285hp @ 6,400rpm
Torque: 347Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.6L to 10.3L / 100km
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
No.6 Collaborations Project
Ed Sheeran (Atlantic)
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
How it works
Each player begins with one of the great empires of history, from Julius Caesar's Rome to Ramses of Egypt, spread over Europe and the Middle East.
Round by round, the player expands their empire. The more land they have, the more money they can take from their coffers for each go.
As unruled land and soldiers are acquired, players must feed them. When a player comes up against land held by another army, they can choose to battle for supremacy.
A dice-based battle system is used and players can get the edge on their enemy with by deploying a renowned hero on the battlefield.
Players that lose battles and land will find their coffers dwindle and troops go hungry. The end goal? Global domination of course.
Mrs%20Chatterjee%20Vs%20Norway
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Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000