rise buildings gathers pace in the key Eastern Province cities of Al-Khobar, Dammam and Dhahran, full compliance with the Kingdom's fire operation safety and code should be strongly enforced in them, according to an official of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers-Saudi Arabian Chapter (SFPE-SAC). Several high-rise buildings are now being constructed in these cities, particularly within the Greater Dammam area. Already, there are plans to construct 19 towers at the Khobar-Dammam highway near the Asharqia Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Similar high-rise infrastructures are also coming up in Al-Khobar near King Fahd Causeway. “The Civil Defense is doing a good job of enforcing the fire code regarding high-rise buildings, but there is still a need to instill awareness on the part of the stakeholders in these infrastructures to comply with the fire operation safety and code,” said Khalid A. Al-Nasser, treasurer of SFPE-SAC, one of the 60 worldwide chapters of the international organization Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He said the ladder of fire operation and code awareness should be complied with by owners of the high-rise infrastructures, insurance companies, construction firms, and local Civil Defense, which is the final arbiter regarding the level of compliance. “If somewhere within these four ladders compliance is not met, then there is a need to review and establish total awareness to ensure safety,” Al-Nasser said. He said owners of high-rise buildings and the construction companies have the moral responsibilities that all fire safety requirements mandated by the Civil Defense are complied. The insurance firms are also obligated to guarantee the protection of the properties. According to Al-Nasser, awareness and compliance are key factors in ensuring fire safety in high-rise buildings, as well as in residential, commercial, and industrial facilities. He said that because there is an ongoing construction boom of high-rise buildings within the Greater Dammam area, it is necessary, as required by law, that compliance on fire safety and the code are strictly observed. “Compliance is difficult to establish because we do not have the required data. That is why awareness on fire safety and the code is emphasized by the Civil Defense and our organization,” Al-Nasser told Saudi Gazette. The SFPE-SAC conducts seminars and orientation programs regarding the practice of fire protection engineering. It also provides technical information to local communities regarding fire protection. “Our role in the SFPE-SAC is to bridge these ladders and the general public through our awareness campaign so that life and properties are protected,” Al
