DUBAI // Hi-tech firefighting equipment ranging from a mobile media centre for fire coverage to diamond-tipped "strong arm" used to punch through walls and spray water were unveiled today at the new Dubai civil defence centre in Al Barsha. The strong arm device is designed to be used in closed or dangerous areas that are difficult for firefighters to reach. It can spray up to 6,000 litres of water per minute. Dubai is the second place in the world, after Turkey, to use the device. "Sometimes it is difficult for firefighters to enter from the windows or from the top if the fire is in a closed place such as a storage room, so the strong arm is used first to cool the place down and to avoid backfiring," explained Major Gen Rashid al Matroushi, acting general director of the UAE Civil Defence and the director of Dubai Civil Defence. The new fire centre's operations room is filled with screens that are linked to fire-pump and lift systems in all buildings in the emirate, he said. "If something goes wrong in any building, we know about it before the watchman, so we communicate with the maintenance company and the developer to ensure the error is fixed," said Gen al Matroushi. The centre's garage holds several new vehicles, including a mobile command vehicle that mimics all the functions of the control room, and a media centre that allows for live broadcasts from accidents or fire scenes. hdajani@thenational.ae