Coming soon: firefighting on two wheels

Fire engine motorbike will make it easier to get to the scene of a fire in traffic.

BMW R 1200 RT FIREXPRESS motorcycle at the INTERSEC trade fair and conference at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Dubai on January 17, 2012. INTERSEC is the leading regional trade event in the security, safety and protection industries. It features a brand profile of 4 niche vertical sections, namely: Commercial & Information Security; Homeland Security & Policing; Safety & Health and Fire & Rescue, providing an up to date reflection of the industry portfolio and the latest trends. Christopher Pike / The National
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DUBAI // Dubai is testing a 180kph firefighting motorbike that can weave through traffic and extinguish two car fires with one load of water and foam.

The firefighting system is mounted on a modified German-built 1,170cc BMW R1200RT motorcycle called the Firexpress, the first of its kind in the UAE.

"It's a very good bike," said Brig Ahmed Al Sayegh, the assistant general manager of Dubai Civil Defence.

"We will study it first and then decide how we can use it for specific purposes. It seems like a good vehicle to use in narrow and crowded areas - like where there is a traffic jam."

The bike is ideal for firefighting in traffic or where there is no space for big vehicles to move, said Mohammed Awad, the director of business development at Concorde-Corodex Group, the regional suppliers.

"If a car catches a fire on Sheikh Zayed Road or any other area, the vehicle can be pressed into service," he said.

The Firexpress has two interconnected 25-litre tanks of pre-mixed foam and water solutions. "These are also used in industrial applications and in large residential areas to extinguish fires," said Mr Awad.

Brig Al Sayegh said Civil Defence would decide whether they should have more bikes after studying its effectiveness.

According to the company, the vehicle has been successfully used in China, Singapore, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Concorde-Corodex handed the bike over at the Intersec Trade Fair and Conference, which ended yesterday.