On 29th June, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence launched their first fire truck equipped with oxygen tanks, which firefighters can easily use if they experience breathing difficulties during an operation.

This truck is the first of its kind in the region, the Abu Dhabi Civil Defence said. The equipment, which is similar to those used in ambulances, allows firefighters to recover quickly after being exposed to smoke while on duty. 

“If you had to handle a fire where you may be exposed to breathing difficulties due to chemicals or vapours, you can get an oxygen supply just from over your seats,” a civil defence official explained to firefighters. 

“The cylinder has a valve installed inside the truck and all firefighters have to do is turn on the cylinder valve.”

The fire truck has five oxygen outlets, with one outlet allocated to each firefighter. They can easily connect their masks to the outlet so they can breathe normally.