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Abu Dhabi Civil Defence Authority hosted the annual Metropolitan Fire Chiefs 2026 Forum, one of the world’s leading leadership gatherings dedicated to firefighting and emergency response services in high-density urban environments. The event brought together an elite group of fire service leaders and international experts as part of a week-long official visit.
Hosting the international forum in Abu Dhabi reflects the Emirate’s strong commitment to advancing emergency response systems and underscores Abu Dhabi Civil Defence’s keenness to strengthen its global presence and expand strategic partnerships with leading international organisations. This, in turn, supports the transfer and localisation of best practices and keeps pace with the rapid transformations shaping the civil defence and emergency management sector.
Brigadier Salem Abdullah bin Barak Al Dhaheri, Director General of Abu Dhabi Civil Defence, said that hosting this global event demonstrates the growing international confidence in Abu Dhabi’s capabilities and the authority’s high level of organisational and professional excellence. He noted that the forum aligns with a strategic vision aimed at enhancing knowledge exchange and elevating emergency response systems in accordance with the highest international standards.
He added that the authority continues to strengthen its international partnerships and leverage global expertise to develop civil defence operational frameworks, saying that the forum served as an advanced professional platform for exchanging insights, discussing the future of firefighting services, and supporting continuous development efforts to address evolving challenges and risks with efficiency and professionalism.
The forum saw the participation of several leaders and board members of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs, along with international speakers and experts specialising in firefighting, rescue operations, and emergency management, highlighting the event’s status as one of the most prominent global platforms in this vital sector.
Abu Dhabi Civil Defence was represented by a number of leaders, officials, and specialists, reaffirming the importance of integrating leading international experiences with the national system, strengthening cooperation channels, and exchanging expertise to support the development of operational policies and enhance institutional performance.
The forum’s programme included a series of workshops and specialised sessions that covered the latest research and studies in fire response operations, on-scene decision-making, and leadership capacity-building to address the complexities of modern emergency environments. The agenda also covered professional development pathways for fire officers, the empowerment of women in firefighting services, and reviews of lessons learned from fires in industrial facilities and large warehouses.
In addition, sessions addressed psychological readiness and mental health in high-risk operations, as well as fitness, occupational health, and wellness initiatives for firefighters, enhancing their safety and ensuring sustained readiness. The forum also featured panel discussions focused on transferring and adapting international experiences to suit diverse operational environments.
