The regional security, safety, fire and rescue industries came out in strength on the first two days of the region’s premier safety and security event, Intersec 2012, which drew in big numbers to the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The three-day event featured 910 exhibitors from over 50 countries displaying the latest trends and developments from the industry and showcasing over 2,000 brands. Running for fourteen years, Intersec is regarded as the authoritative security, safety, fire and policing networking platform for the Middle East region.
Featuring as many as 13 country pavilions, Intersec has drawn the attention of the global security community over the years due to its region-wide reach. These pavilions bring together small and medium sized exhibitors from various countries who display their products and solutions for the Middle East.
General D.L. Berlijn, former Chief of Defence and Commander in Chief of the Dutch Armed Forces, who helped organise the Dutch Pavilion, said: “The Middle East is very important because it brings together players from all over the world. The UAE has proven to be a place where people want to meet and Intersec has proven to be a platform for people to network so it is a good place to establish new contacts from all over the world.”
ORBIK, manufacturers of emergency lighting systems are showcasing their range of environmentally friendly products are an exhibitor within the UK Pavilion. They have been exhibiting at Intersec since the show first launched 14 years ago.
Philip Elwell, Managing Director for ORBIK, said: “Throughout the years Intersec has been a very effective exhibition for us. It brings in a lot of extra companies for us, not just from the UAE, but from the entire region. We have many projects in Dubai such as the Dubai Metro and the Dubai Airport Free Zone and these came through from exhibiting here.”
Angus Cameron, Marketing Manager of Fire Protection Specialists NAFFCO who have been participating for four years, said: “We have seen lots of interest and ours is one of the busiest stands. We are having many seminars for new products which is driving interest. We will definitely participate next year. “
NAFFCO is launching its Falcon Monitoring System for the first time. The system is used to avoid fire accidents and maintain buildings at optimum safety levels by constantly monitoring fire fighting system and safety equipment to ensure everything works properly whenever needed. The system is connected through the GSM network to a central remote monitoring station that receives alarm and fault reports.
“Intersec continues to be the preferred trade and business event for the region, which is a key market for the security and safety industries,” said Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of organiser Epoc Messe Frankfurt. “The encouraging response and feedback received from our exhibitors indicates that the event is one that is continuing to set the standards around the region.”
The comprehensive programme of conferences and seminars alongside the event continued to attract the attention of experts and professionals around the region.
Being organised for the first time, the 1st Global Network Conference on Emergency Medicine is proving to be a remarkable success. The conference is endorsed by the European Society of Emergency Medicine (EuSEM), the International Federation of Emergency Medicine (IFEM), the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Society of Emergency Medicine (SAEM) alongside other international and regional societies.
Promoting the specialty of Emergency Medicine as a recognized discipline and a primary specialty, the event hosts an invited faculty of 77 speakers from France, Sweden, Australia, USA, Belgium, Bahrain, Spain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Italy, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Iran.
Also attracting considerable attention was the Maritime Security Summit, addressing some of the key concerns facing the shipping industry around the region especially with the recurrent threats from piracy. The Summit on Commercial Security drew attention to the growing concern from industry and corporates worldwide about the increasingly sophisticated methods of today’s criminals. The summit examined various strategies to anticipate and counter such threats.
Outside the exhibition halls the UAE International FireFit Championsips was a hive of frenetic activity with elite fire and rescue personnel from around the region participating in tests of strength and endurance against each other. The second day comprised of individual races where firefighters from the UAE, Kuwait, Canada, UK, France and Germany raced against time to complete exhausting tasks that they usally face during real life missions.
Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahmadi, founder and chairman of the UAE International FireFit Championship, said that these tasks are a real test of character of these heroes. Al Ahmadi said: “These competitions simulate the same pressures and urgencies that fire fighters are regularly faced with, racing against time to save precious lives. Delay of a few seconds could be the difference between life and death.” He also noted that these competitions are a way to create awareness in society about the significant role that firemen play on a daily basis, putting their lives in danger, so that the community can go about their lives feeling secure.
The Outdoor Demo area is once again proving to be another highly popular attraction at Intersec, drawing flocks of visitors to view a series of tactical rescues and close combat operations by FireKraft, Austria, the demos showcase interactive scenarios across the fields of rescue, counter terror and law enforcement.
*Preliminary numbers (2011)
Contact
www.intersecexpo.com
