Abu Dhabi Airports has broken ground on the construction site of the new Midfield Terminal Building's fire station.

The state-of-the-art 12,000 square meter facility, will house the teams, who will be first on the scene for any emergency situation at the airport, once the MTB is up and running. The Midfield Fire Station will be equipped with nine response vehicles, and 172 firefighters, all managed by Abu Dhabi Airports' Emergency Service and Quality Assurance department.

Ali Majed Al Mansoori, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, said, "The Midfield Fire Station has been designed to ensure the highest level of emergency readiness, in line with optimum safety and security standards, to handle dynamic emergency situations and potential hazards in an airfield environment. Our aim is to be able to respond to fires in less than four minutes and to get to an emergency in any area in which aircraft movements take place, in less than two minutes. This approach demonstrates Abu Dhabi Airports' commitment to ensuring maximum safety for passengers, employees and service providers."

This impressive facility has been developed in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Civil Defence and the construction and operational plans for the new fire station are fully compliant with UAE Civil Defence regulations and requirements, and therefore meet the internationally recognised standards for effective emergency management."

The central location of the fire station, at the heart of Abu Dhabi International Airport, will enable the teams based there to provide coverage for any future terminal developments as the capital's airport continues to expand.

Currently, Abu Dhabi International Airport operates four fully manned fire stations, 24 hours a day, to respond to any fires or incidents on the runways or at the terminal buildings, in compliance with regulatory guidance from the General Civil Aviation Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO.