Kingdom of Bahrain – The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the General Directorate of Civil Defence at the Ministry of Interior for the Kingdom of Bahrain. This agreement marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to enhance strong fire safety and prevention measures in Bahrain.

The MoU signing ceremony, held during the annual NFPA Conference & Expo® in Orlando, Florida, was attended by key representatives from both entities. The MoU aims to foster a collaborative relationship between the two parties, leveraging the extensive NFPA expertise and resources in fire, electrical and life safety, and Bahrain Civil Defence’s local knowledge and experience in the areas of firefighting and civil defence. The partnership will focus on organizing awareness forums to disseminate critical information aimed at reducing the impact of fires and hazards. Additionally, both parties will work together on relevant laws and standards, promoting education and sharing best practices to enhance public safety in the Kingdom.

“Building on the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™ framework, we are charting a roadmap for developing comprehensive training and certification programs, advancing fire research, and enhancing public education across the Kingdom,” said NFPA President & CEO Jim Pauley. “We are very pleased to be working with Bahrain on this initiative, which aims to advance fire safety and mitigate risks through increased fire risk awareness and reduction strategies,” said, Jim.

Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Eng. Dana Kamal, Director, International Business Development MENA at NFPA, said “It’s an honor to collaborate with Bahrain Civil Defence on our shared mission to advance fire and life safety across the Kingdom. By leveraging the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™, we aim to empower communities and ensure that Bahrain Civil Defence personnel are equipped with the highest standards of safety knowledge and skills to help fulfil their commitment to public safety and create a safer environment for all. Together, we will make significant strides in fire safety education, training, and awareness programs, enabling us to work more closely to address emerging fire safety challenges and enhance the effectiveness of our initiatives.”

Commenting on the partnership, Brigadier Pilot Ali Mohamed AlKubaisi, the General Director of Civil Defence of Bahrain Civil Defence added, “This initiative is a strategic milestone for the General Directorate of Civil Defence in the Kingdom of Bahrain to implement Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 by raising the level of safety and fire prevention. The signing of this memorandum of understanding allows us to be part of the NFPA Ecosystem, learning, developing, and benefiting from international community experiences in order to participate in strengthening this framework. The General Directorate of Civil Defence also wants to benefit from best practices in this field to qualify its employees to rise to the international level and provide them with the opportunity to exchange experiences, data, and information for the benefit of all stakeholders, leaving a positive impact on everyone in this field. We would like to express our honor to be part of the NFPA family and look forward to working together as a team.”

With operations in over 70 countries, supported by more than 5,000 volunteers, and engaging with over 43,000 global members, NFPA is actively promoting safety in a rapidly electrifying world, addressing critical crisis across the world, defending the value of codes and standards, and highlighting international efforts in emerging issues and trends in fire, electrical, and life safety. This partnership will act as a testament to NFPA’s overall objective of increasing safety for people and property.

About the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®)  

Founded in 1896, NFPA® is a global, self-funded, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.  

About The General Directorate of Civil Defence at the Ministry of Interior for the Kingdom of Bahrain

The history of the General Directorate of Civil Defence extends back to 1936, starting as a fully equipped fire engine and evolving over time to become a General Directorate under the Ministry of Interior, becoming one of the leading general directorates in the fields of fire protection, incident response, and disaster management.

Today the General Directorate takes the lead in implementing fire protection requirements, preserving the safety of lives, properties, and facilities, as well as managing crises and disasters in the Kingdom. The General Directorate comprises 877 personnel, of whom 41 are engineers. These engineers practice using codes derived mostly from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The General Directorate is constantly working to enhance safety and effective response to save lives, property, and the environment in the Kingdom.