Four officers of the Prevention Department at the General Directorate of Civil Defence joined and represented the Ministy of Interior (MOI) in the technical committees of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as experts in developing and amending codes related to safety and fire protection.

Captain Engineer Nasser Al Ziyara, Captain Engineer Muhammad Al Sulaiti, Captain Engineer Muhammad Al Hajri, and First Lieutenant Ali Al Mannai, participated in preparing and developing fire protection requirements  related to the work mechanisms of the organisation.

According to Captain Engineer Ghanem Al Nuaimi, Assistant Director of the Prevention Department at the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the four officers set the codes and standards in all related fields.

NFPANFPA is an independent organisation based in the US. It was established in 1896, and includes a large number of experts in the fields of engineering, security and safety. NFPA is dedicated to reducing death, injuries and material and economic losses caused by fire and electricity and related hazards.

To join the NFPA, application is sent with copies of the applicant’s CV and the approval of the employer for representation in the association. After reviewing the papers, the specialised committee would decide on the application for acceptance or rejection. The Qatari officers met all the required documents, academic qualifications and training courses and experiences in fire engineering.

On the participation of Qatari experts from the specialised officers in the development of the Association’s codes, the Assistant Director of the Prevention Department explained that those who participated throughout the previous stages in the amendments and additions to the American code did not have an adequate vision of the conditions and environment of the Arab Region. Therefore, their ideas and contributions to the code were aimed at their geographical area and environment in the first place. Hence, the presence of specialised Qatari experts among them helps enrich their knowledge and experiences, and put forward many facts before them, which will be reflected in the codes and standards in their updates and publications.

Visit nfpa.org for more information.