Fire and Rescue International Newsletter

Intersec 2026 sets new global benchmark for security, safety and fire protection in Dubai

Intersec 2026, the world-leading exhibition for security, safety and fire protection, has recorded its largest, most internationally diverse and strategically significant edition to date. The three-day event, which celebrated its 27th edition, was held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Ports and Borders Security Council, and welcomed 44,764 trade visitors from 151 countries, with a 60/40 domestic versus international split, reinforcing Intersec’s position as the global meeting point for government authorities, regulators, industry leaders and solution providers shaping the future of security, safety and resilience.

Spanning over 65,000 square metres of gross exhibition space, Intersec 2026 featured 1,180 exhibitors from 56 countries, supported by 10 international country pavilions and a comprehensive programme of 14 conferences and specialist features, reflecting the growing complexity and convergence of physical, digital and human safety and security.

International participation underscores Intersec’s global scale
Global participation remained a key feature of the 2026 edition, with 82% of total exhibitors coming from international markets, underscoring the event’s role as a global marketplace. Exhibitor participation was led by the world’s foremost safety, security and technology markets, including the United States and China; high-growth economies such as India and South Korea; and Europe’s most established industrial and innovative hubs, including France, Germany, Italy, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.

The United Arab Emirates remained the event’s largest and most influential domestic exhibiting market, reflecting the country’s growing prominence across the global security, safety and fire protection landscape. This momentum is being driven by bold national initiatives that continue to strengthen regulatory frameworks, accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies and embed resilience, innovation and convergence across the entire ecosystem.

Technology and solutions aligned with global and national priorities
This leadership was clearly reflected on the exhibition floor, where solutions aligned with national and international priorities were brought to life across five core sectors, including Homeland Security and Policing, Cybersecurity, Commercial and Perimeter Security, Fire and Rescue and Health and Safety. Together, exhibitors showcased next-generation technologies, integrated systems and operational solutions that address critical challenges, including infrastructure protection, emergency response, cyber resilience, workforce safety and crisis preparedness.

Intersec Global underscores platform’s evolution
Intersec 2026 marked a significant milestone, unveiling the new Intersec Global identity during a press conference attended by strategic partners and industry leaders.

As part of the Global platform, the evolution of Intersec’s sectors reflects a deliberate macro-to-micro narrative, moving from safeguarding nations to protecting individual lives within a unified international framework. At the macro level, National Security and Resilience supports ministries, police and border authorities shaping sovereign risk strategy, while Cybersecurity underpins digital governance and critical infrastructure protection.

This extends into Surveillance and Physical Security for built environments and smart cities and Fire, Rescue and Emergency Response for civil defence and climate-driven readiness. This culminates at the micro level with Safety and Wellbeing, aligned with ESG priorities and workforce protection, safeguarding people in their daily environments and demonstrating how Intersec Global connects national resilience with human-centred safety across its worldwide ecosystem.

Dishan Isaac, Show Director of Intersec at Messe Frankfurt Middle East: “This edition represents a pivotal moment for the platform, highlighting its expanded scale and the increased engagement from the global safety and security community. The launch of the Intersec Global identity reflects the on-the-ground reality, emphasising an international ecosystem rooted in Dubai, with increasing involvement from both established markets and high-growth regions.With a significant increase in international exhibitors and visitors, the quality of dialogue has been excellent. From strategic policy discussions to frontline operational challenges, the focus has been firmly on real-world resilience, readiness and collaboration. The breadth of engagement from government authorities, critical infrastructure operators, emergency services and the private sector reinforces Intersec Global’s role as an international platform where meaningful partnerships are formed, knowledge is shared and industry progress is accelerated.”

Intersec Awards celebrate leadership and industry excellence
Industry achievement took centre stage at the Intersec Awards 2026, held during a prestigious gala dinner in Dubai. Now in their fifth edition, the Awards recognised excellence across 17 categories, celebrating leadership, innovation, talent and impact in security, safety and fire protection.

Headline winners included Khalid Mubarak of Dubai Municipality, who received the H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Emirati Rising Star Award and Albadr Jannah of Saudi Aramco, named Industry Leader of the Year for his sustained contributions to advancing security and resilience at regional and global levels.

The Women Trailblazers in Security, Fire Safety and HSE award was presented to Jazyah Aldossary, also of Saudi Aramco, recognising her leadership in driving professional excellence, inclusion and safety culture.

“Now in their fifth edition, the Intersec Awards highlight the individuals and organisations setting the pace for leadership, innovation and impact across security, safety and fire protection. This year’s winners reflect the depth of talent shaping the industry, from rising Emirati professionals and women leaders to global figures whose work continues to strengthen resilience and best practice worldwide,” concluded Isaac.

Government partnership key to future success
Intersec benefits from the strategic support of key UAE authorities, including the General Command of Dubai Civil Defense (DCD) and the Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA), underlining its alignment with national resilience and safety priorities

The event will return to Dubai from 12 to 14 January 2027 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, continuing to build on its role as the world’s leading platform for advancing safety, security and resilience across nations, networks, infrastructure and people.

Quote of the week
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou

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The City of Tshwane has officially unveiled fifteen newly procured bush pumpers for its Emergency Services Department, marking a significant milestone in the City’s ongoing efforts to build a safer, more resilient, and responsive municipality. The unveiling ceremony took place at the Central Fire Station and forms part of a strategic investment aimed at strengthening fire and rescue operations, particularly in response to veld fires, wildland incidents, and emergencies in hard-to-reach areas across Tshwane.

On Friday, 27 February 2026, a Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules on a domestic flight from Viru Viru International Airport, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, to El Alto International Airport, La Paz, suffered a runway excursion after landing and crashed onto a busy road, impacting 15 vehicles and killing at least 22 people and injuring more than 43 others. Defence Minister Marcelo Salinas said the Hercules C-130 “landed and veered off the runway” and came to a stop in a field. Firefighters responding to the crash successfully extinguished a fire that broke out, the minister said.

From 16 to 20 February, NCC Environmental Services facilitated the 2026 Incident Management Team (IMT) Scenario-Based Training Exercise. Hosted at South African National Parks’ De Vasselot Rest Camp in Nature’s Valley, the event challenged two concurrent IMTs with a rapidly escalating wildfire scenario threatening commercial forestry, conservation areas and the Kurland/Natures Valley interface.

Data from firefighters’ shifts and health signals shows how unions and the City are reducing high-risk cancer profiles and future costs through a targeted wellness programme. A new firefighter health report shows that Ontario’s Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services is currently managing between 18 and 25 presumptive cancer claims, with total legacy and ongoing costs estimated at approximately $5 million dollars to date. Provincially, the median age of a presumptive cancer claim is 62, underscoring the long-term impact of firefighter exposures and operational stress over a career.

The Midvaal Fire Department responded to numerous incidents over the past month, including house fires, motor vehicle and motorbike accidents, a suicide, amongst other incidents. On 23 January 2026 at 05h00, they responded to a structure fire. “On arrival, a six-room structure was on fire. Three rooms fully engulfed in flames. Response included a medium pumper and 12 000-litre water tanker as well as a crew of seven including a station officer. A fence was cut to gain access to the property. A body was found in one of the rooms and according to bystanders it was on old female that stayed in one of the rooms,” said Engelbrecht, station officer at Midvaal Fire and Rescue Service.

For almost 150 years, there has rarely been a time when a member of one family hasn’t been on duty. With 10 firefighters across multiple generations, the McClelland family have clocked up almost 300 years of combined service. Brothers Stephen and Raymond said their “childhood hero growing up was our father and our brothers” – the men who ran out the door whenever the siren sounded. Now the latest generation are still answering the call, with one McClelland urging others to join as the fire service recruits more on-call firefighters.

The City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services is pleased to announce the appointment of two experienced leaders to senior operational roles. Station Commander Mxolisi Khoza, formerly of Eldorado Park Fire Station, has been appointed as Divisional Chief for Region G. Station Commander John Mokono, formerly of Cosmo City Fire Station, has been appointed as Divisional Chief for Region D.

The collapse of the World Trade Centre (WTC) buildings following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, was one of the worst-ever building disasters in recorded history — killing 2,749 people. More than 400 emergency responders were among those killed, the largest loss of life for this group in a single incident. I was shocked to learn of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, along with the rest of the nation, while attending a conference in Krakow, Poland. My immediate thoughts that Tuesday turned to the safety of my family back home. Once I talked to them and knew they were safe, I decided to fly to Berlin since that would give me more options to get home quickly once flights resumed over U.S. airspace. Over breakfast at the Berlin hotel that Friday, I began sketching out initial ideas for our response that would involve a reconnaissance and assessment phase followed by a more detailed investigation.

Scores of shacks protected and saved by swift intervention strategy displayed by ever alert Firefighters from Primrose fire station in the City of Ekurhuleni. Makausi informal settlement situation just adjacent to the fire station, was up in flames this morning around 08h00 o’clock and the incident was seen by ever alert crews who responded immediately for intervention. Flames could be seen from far, originating from one shack, spreading and engulfing others in the neighbourhood. Due to the rate at which fire was spreading, extra resources had to be activated from other nearest fire stations.

A late-night rescue turned into a success story after Lynchburg firefighters spent several hours working in frigid conditions to save a dog that had fallen roughly 50 feet into an old well off Florida Avenue in Lynchburg, US. According to Lynchburg Fire Department Public Information Officer Steve Smallshaw, crews had only recently returned to their stations from an earlier fire on Campbell Avenue when the unusual call came in. “It was an interesting story, cold as all heck and a long night there for those guys,” Smallshaw said.

This week’s featured Fire and Rescue International magazine article is: Earthquakes: guidelines on preparing and responding written by Neville van Rensburg and Julius Fleischman, World Rescue Organisation (WRO) assessors and members (FRI Vol 3 no 11). We will be sharing more technical/research/tactical articles from Fire and Rescue International magazine on a weekly basis with our readers to assist in technology transfer. This will hopefully create an increased awareness, providing you with hands-on advice and guidance. All our magazines are available free of charge in PDF format on our website and online at ISSUU. We also provide all technical articles as a free download in our article archive on our website.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand celebrated significant work being completed in its post-earthquake reconstruction programme in Christchurch, officially opening both the flagship Christchurch City Fire Station and the Sumner Fire Station in May 2023. Both stations were built on existing sites following the demolition of the original stations that were extensively damaged in the earthquake sequence of 2010-11. Most of the funding for both rebuilds came from the Government’s COVID Response and Recovery Fund.

London Ambulance Service has been shortlisted for two HSJ awards for a digital innovation that allows paramedics to see patient outcomes after hospital handover for the first time in the UK. The app, called My Clinical Feedback, was shortlisted in the Driving Change Through Data and the Improving Urgent and Emergency Care through Digital categories of the prestigious HSJ awards. Until now, paramedics and other ambulance clinicians have been making rapid – and sometimes life-or-death decisions – without knowing the ongoing impact of those decisions or the outcome for the patients they treat.

Balancing fitness and 24-hour shifts as a firefighter isn’t easy but it’s possible. In this video, I take you through my post-shift routine: how I hydrate, train, recover and stay consistent despite sleepless nights and unpredictable calls.

Source: Mitch Gourley

Intro to basic operations.

Source: Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Training Division

Mark tells us all about the Metropolitan steam-powered fire engine.

Source: Hall of Flame Fire Museum