The Abu Dhabi FireFit Challenge Championship, organized by the General Directorate of Civil Defense in Abu Dhabi, kicks off next Monday. The challenge, held over the course of three days in collaboration with the 911 Fire Fighting & Occupational Safety Training, will take place on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, with 100 participants from the various Departments and Civil Defense Directorates General in the State; oil companies, the Armed Forces and UAE airports.
Lt. Colonel Saeed Al Rashidi, Civil Defense General Directorate in Abu Dhabi, indicated that the Championship aims to develop the skills and competencies of the firefighting staff, to raise their efficiency and enhance their physical fitness, so they can perform the tasks and duties entrusted to them to the fullest. It also aims to encourage them and motivate them to carry out heroic and humanitarian missions; as well as to acquaint the public with the firefighters’ tasks, and the risks they face during accidents; as per the Ministry of Interior’s strategy.
This statement was delivered by Lt. Colonel Al Rashidi during the press conference held by the Championship’s organizing committee, on Wednesday morning at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Abu Dhabi. The press conference was attended by Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahmadi, founder and chairman of the UAE International FireFit Championship; Peter Sells from the 911 Fire Fighting & Occupational Safety Training; and Salim Mohammad Naji from the National Marine Dredging Co., sponsoring the Championship.
Al-Ahmadi noted that the excitement-filled Championship sheds light on the tasks and duties of the Civil Defense firefighters. It is a race against time to combat and extinguish fires and save lives; in a series of 6 stages of everyday tasks faced by firefighters and rescue personnel during accidents. The Championship’s various competitions are characterized with excitement, challenge and fair competition among all participants.
Moreover, he added that the Championship will kick off at noon, next Monday, until six o’clock in the evening. It will include many competitions, namely; the singles competition, which requires significant effort on the part of contestants, to complete the six stages; the doubles competition, the fastest in the Championship, and requires skillful and professional focus. Members of the team equally achieve half the stages in a spirit of teamwork, by exchanging the oxygen tank. The relay competition is a race between two teams of three to five firefighters each. Every contestant completes one stage of the contest or more, up until the end. The competition is characterized with an atmosphere of strong and exciting competition among all participating teams.
He explained that the Championship was previously held in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and will take place later in Kuwait; noting that it may be organized at the Arab level in the future, with the necessary resources and capacities.
Concluding, he stated that winners of the various competitions will be honored at the end of the Championship, with symbolic awards, in the presence of members of the national football team, winner of the 21st edition of the Gulf Cup of Nations.