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Dubai Civil Defence department to unveil eight-year strategy at Intersec show
 Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence and Angela Schierholz, Senior Show Manager for Intersec Middle East
Dubai Civil Defence will be unveiling a host of new initiatives at the Intersec exhibition and conference in January as part of the department's Strategic Plan for 2007-2015.
Brigadier Rashid Thani Al Matrooshi, Director General of Dubai Civil Defence said: "The Intersec Middle East conference and exhibition is very important to Civil Defence, companies and the public alike. This annual event hosts academicians and field commanders who play a vital role in enriching a preventive culture and enhancing occupational skills through their field research and experiments. The event also presents solutions for problems relating to prevention, firefighting and occupational safety. These issues are becoming more and more demanding as the economic sector continues to grow in this region. Thus, Dubai Civil Defence is playing a leading role in supporting the Intersec Middle East conference and exhibition."
Brigadier Al Matrooshi added that the department's Strategic Plan for 2007-2015 will include changes to Civil Defence services infrastructure, including the construction of new fire stations, the acquisition of the latest fire engines and firefighting equipment. He added that the technical affairs department has also developed its own fire fighting equipment and vehicles which will be demonstrated at the show.
Dubai Civil Defence will also be promoting its specialist training programmes, including workshops on dealing with fire outbreaks in high-rise buildings at Intersec.
He said: "Protection of high-rise buildings mainly depends on the strategy of self-protection from fire before the firefighters arrive at the scene. These could involve the implementation of a number of advanced e-services that monitor and control fire alarm systems, sprinklers, lifts, fire doors and fire separation systems that prevent smoke and fire from spreading."
For more on what's happening at Intersec 2008 turn to page 61.
IT security spending continues to rise in the region
Rapid economic development in the countries of the Gulf is fostering significant demand for IT security solutions. According to a recent study from IDC, spending on security software and appliances should grow by 37.4% this year to reach nearly $250 million.
In 2006, investment in IT security software and appliances in the Gulf States ( Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar) shot up by almost 60% year-on-year to reach nearly $180 million. IDC projects that over the next five years, the security software and appliances market in the Gulf region will grow at an average annual rate of 23%.
“The IT security market benefits heavily from investments in basic infrastructure by companies across the region, which inevitably includes threat management and secure content management technologies,” said Vinay Nair, senior analyst, IDC MEA. “But it doesn’t end there. The rapidly growing consumer banking sector has a cartload of compliance rules that require a variety of security solutions and a large number of firms – particularly in the UAE – are making increasingly sophisticated investments in information leakage detection and prevention technology.”
Saudi Arabia is the largest market for security appliances and software in the region, comprising 41.0% share of the total market in 2006. By the end of 2007, it is expected to skyrocket by almost 45% year-on-year. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the second largest source of security expenditure in the region last year, with 31.2% share. The UAE market is predicted grow a little slower than the Saudi Arabian market, but still by an impressive 36.6%. The other Gulf Cooperation Council countries made up the remaining 27.8% share in 2006. The combined markets of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar should expand by 27.23% year-on year in 2007.
Threat Management made up the bulk of the security software market in the Gulf States in 2006, accounting for 56.4% of total spending. This segment grew 61.2% year-on-year as companies build perimeter protection for their new network infrastructure. Secure Content Management (SCM) was the second largest segment, with 24.0% share. The security and vulnerability management segment represented 11.4% of the total market in 2006, having almost doubled as compared to the previous year.
The three leading vendors on the Gulf IT security market were Cisco, Juniper and Symantec. Their combined market share reached nearly 49% of total revenue in 2006. On the customer side, the government was the biggest spender on IT security solutions in the Gulf states in 2006 and comprised 26.9% share of the market. The second largest vertical was the telecommunications sector with 22.6% share, followed by finance (21.2%).
IDC’s Gulf States Security Software and Appliances 2007-2011 Forecast and 2006 Vendor Shares (IDC #ZSE1P) presents the security software and appliance market in the Gulf States ( Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar) for 2006 and forecasts expenditure on security software and appliances through 2011. The study contains market size, vendor market shares, and forecasts for five discrete market categories.
It also ranks the major security software providers by their 2006 revenue, and includes a profile of their activities and presence in individual country and vertical markets.
BAE Systems new air reconnaissance system tests success fully in Oman
Fighter-plane with a long-range, electro-optical reconnaissance system
BAE Systems has completed incountry commissioning in Oman for a long-range, electro-optical reconnaissance system as part of the F-16 Oman Peace A’sama A’safiya programme.
The commissioning marks the first fielding and sale of BAE Systems’ Airborne Reconnaissance System (ARS) camera. ARS can take pictures day or night at fighter-plane speeds and altitudes from 3,000 to 40,000 feet and at ranges up to 60 miles. It has the largest focal length currently available for tactical reconnaissance missions.
“The increased focal length allows military personnel to take clear pictures or collect reconnaissance data from a greater, and therefore safer distance,” said Raymond Fricker, identification and surveillance programme manager for BAE Systems in Greenlawn, New York. “This system can cover more area per minute than any other system available today.”
Performance and aircraft integration testing were completed earlier this year at Edwards Air Force Base, California. ARS met all criteria for aircraft operations, imagery collection, carriage and handling, and safety of flight. The systems were then shipped to Oman for integration into the arsenal of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO).
Private guarding companies in Iraq will now have to be licensed by law
Pilgrims Group security company's personnel working in Iraq
The Iraqi Ministry of the Interior has introduced a series of new measures that require the licensing of all private security guards and their weapons.
Under the new, law due to come into effect from 1st January 2008, the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) will be able to carry out spot checks and arrest any guard operating in Iraq who is not registered to an accredited security company.
Security company Pilgrims, whose personnel are working in Iraq, says it is one of the first security companies to make sure all of its personnel are fully registered and said the MOI has wanted to exert greater influence on those carrying weapons for some time.
“This is not unreasonable and is something that we support and will adhere to,” said Pilgrims Group Commercial Director, John Whitwam MBE. “The introduction of this law has been accelerated by a number of recent incidents involving some high profile private security companies which have led to Iraqi casualties,” continued Whitwam.
“Unfortunately for companies such as Pilgrims that pride themselves on their low profile and unobtrusive methods, these incidents have galvanised opinion against western security companies amongst the local Iraqi population, and the threat of reprisal attacks remains high.”
The MOI is subsequently ordering that every security guard and their weapon must be registered. “It is only reasonable that the government should seek to legitimise weapon carrying in its country. We will work with the MOI and the PSCAI to meet these requirements and thereby protect our clients,” added Whitwam.
“You can only imagine the implications to someone in the media or corporate world operating in Iraq if their security guards are stopped by the MOI and found not to be registered. In the worst case, their weapons will be confiscated and the guards arrested. We are making sure our clients adhere to the MOI policy, thereby ensuring they remain legally protected in what remains an area of very high risk.”
Bahrain newspaper offices choose 64-camera CCTV solution for new plant
Leading CCTV systems supplier Computar/Ganz has supplied surveillance equipment for a high profile newspaper publishing operation in Bahrain.
The move follows the award of a contract to Computar/Ganz distributor Al-Mufeed Projects and Systems (AMPS WLL), a specialist systems integrator, by Al-Ayam Publishing.
The company produces the Arabic daily newspaper Al-Ayam, with a circulation of 36,000, as well as printing the daily Bahrain Tribune newspaper. AMPS spokesman A Meeran Mohideen, project manager at AMPS’ Projects Division, explains that Al-Ayam commissioned the CCTV system following its construction of a new plant based in Manama, Bahrain. The project involved close working in conjunction with Hassan Ahmed from Computar/Ganz.
The surveillance measures have been installed to help protect the site against potential risks such as breaches of perimeter security, as well as to safeguard the overall publishing operation. A total of 64 Ganz CCTV cameras have been introduced, operating both internally and externally. These include the ZCNH258P camera with a high performance CCD image sensor combined with a digital signal processing chip that delivers 540TVL resolution.
The surveillance system specification also includes highresolution vandal-resistant domes (the CDVNH-39CM unit), suited to both indoor and outdoor applications. Inside the building, indoor C-D1i22PC speed domes have been fitted, allowing operators to make use of their 18x and 22x optical zoom, as well as their 36 high accuracy preset positions. High grade stepper motors also allow silky fine control at full zoom, with full preset accuracy without any skip or movement. Ganz’s CHEM camera housings, with IP66 weatherproof rating, have been deployed too - these stylish, environmental housings are designed to make onsite installation and servicing easier.
Meanwhile, the images produced by the cameras are being digitally recorded using four of Ganz’s ZRDHD 1621NP 16- channel Triplex+ DVRs with built-in DVD writer, which allow the operator to play, record and view multi-screen at the same time. The CCTV system installed by AMPS additionally includes equipment from Ganz’s ZP-TX/RX matrix, telemetry and accessories system series, which supports coaxial or RS485 based telemetry and thereby makes it simple to upgrade fixed cameras to PTZ’s or run long distances through fibre optics or similar links.
Remarking on the recently completed project, AMPS’ Mr Mohideen notes that Al-Ayam has been happy with the standard of installation and the Computar/Ganz equipment deployed, as well as its operating performance in-site. The next phase, he adds, may include introducing links between the surveillance system and the fire exit door and access control systems.
Hassan Ahmed of Computar/Ganz comments that the company is pleased to have been associated with such a major contract in the Middle East. “This is a prestigious installation to have been involved with and we’re delighted that the client is pleased with the overall service working in conjunction with AMPS. We have a number of other ongoing projects in the region where Ganz surveillance equipment, using high quality performance Computar camera lenses, is benefiting the security of other customers too.”
ArmorGroup renews security contract with US Navy in Bahrain
Security services provider, ArmorGroup International’s subsidiary, ArmorGroup North America, has been re-awarded the contract to provide security operations services at the US Navy base in Bahrain and other US government locations in the UAE. The contract, worth up to a total of $24.9 million, runs for up to five years from October 2007.
Under the terms of the contract ArmorGroup North America (AGNA) will continue to provide security and safety for personnel, property, facilities and assets of the US government in UAE using a static and mobile guard force, incorporating former British Army Gurkhas. ArmorGroup, through its US Defence Systems subsidiary, has been providing protective security support to Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Europe and Southwest Asia operations in the United Arab Emirates since February 2003.
ArmorGroup is a provider of defensive security services to numerous US and UK embassies and facilities in countries such as Afghanistan, Cote d’Ivoire, Ecuador, Jordan, Namibia, Rwanda and Uganda. The company hopes the contract will put them in line for other US initiatives across the region. |