Abu Dhabi reported 3,274 building fires in 2011, down by a third over 2010.
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Abu Dhabi's Civil Defense has taken delivery of a new fleet of 25 front-line and mobile fire engines, including specially-adapted off-road vehicles to fight desert fires.
This brings its tally of new vehicles over the past two years to 45, at a total cost of $12.2m. Civil Defense's current budget for new equipment is $6.8m.
Abu Dhabi Civil Defense has also commissioned an analysis into the types and patterns of fire incidents in the emirate. This research will form the basis of a national prevention and response plan.
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Major-General Rashid Al Matroushi, acting director of Civil Defense, said the current response time was five to seven minutes, which he hoped to bring down to zero.
More than 4,000 fires were reported in Abu Dhabi last year,in which 95 people died and 1,817 were injured. There were 3,274 building fires, down by a third over 2010. Casualties from building fires declined from 174 to 33.
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