Civil Defense to modernize equipment, expand training for emergency preparedness: Brigadier-General Al-Shatti

Brigadier-General Nabil Hussein Al-Shatti, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Civil Defense, announced in a proactive move to strengthen national disaster preparedness, Kuwait is intensifying coordination between the Civil Defense, the Army, and the National Guard, particularly in response to emergencies such as heavy rainfall and flooding.

This multi-agency collaboration aims to streamline efforts, ensure rapid response, and protect public safety during extreme weather events.

At the heart of this initiative is a comprehensive upgrade of the country’s early warning infrastructure. A new contract is currently being implemented to develop the national siren system.

This includes enhancing the sensing and activation mechanisms, as well as upgrading both the central operations center and its alternative rooms to ensure uninterrupted communication and control during crises.

Civil Defense forces are now equipped with state-of-the-art search and rescue tools, ensuring swift action in high-risk scenarios. All shelters across the country have also been updated with the latest equipment to support safe evacuation and temporary housing for citizens and residents in times of emergency.

Looking to the future, Civil Defense plans to integrate drone technology for surveying and monitoring disaster zones. Drones will provide real-time aerial assessments, improve situational awareness, and help guide rescue missions more effectively.

A parallel initiative is underway to develop and modernize the infrastructure of emergency shelters. This includes the adoption of smart systems designed to enhance crisis response and management. These intelligent technologies aim to improve decision-making, resource allocation, and communication during emergencies.

These developments reflect Kuwait’s growing commitment to creating a resilient and responsive civil protection system, ensuring the safety and security of its people in the face of increasingly unpredictable natural disasters.

He further emphasized ongoing coordination with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries through expertise exchange programs, joint exercises, and standardized protocols to strengthen regional preparedness for chemical or radiological emergencies.