Reda Nouzhani, Area Sales Manager at WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS, discusses the SMART-FORCE platform, digital oversight and evolving operational expectations across the Middle East
Over the past year, what have been the main milestones for WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS in the region?
Across the past year, a lot of our regional work has followed the same theme: fire brigades and civil defence want equipment that performs reliably on scene, and they want better visibility of how that equipment is performing day to day.
That is why our SMART-FORCE direction has been so relevant here.
It speaks to efficiency, safety and precision, while also giving crews and supervisors clearer, real-time information about tool status and battery condition during rescue work.
We have also been expanding the range with compact tooling aimed at the kinds of access constraints crews face in real extrications.
At the same time, interest in training has grown, including hands-on delivery, online learning and structured professional development.
In short, equipment capability, fleet management and skills development are now being discussed together more often than they were even a few years ago.
At Intersec, what are the headline updates you are bringing and how do they build on your existing systems?
Our focus is continuing to develop SMART-FORCE as a connected rescue tool platform, then showing how that translates into practical capability on the incident ground.
The aim is familiar performance for crews, supported by better oversight for managers who need to plan readiness, maintenance and long-term investment.
On the equipment side, we are highlighting a compact cutter option designed for confined spaces, where tool positioning decides what is achievable.
We are also presenting a specialist cutter designed for linear, progressive cutting, aimed at scenarios involving mass transport such as buses and trains.
The practical example we use is creating an additional access opening, sometimes described as a “third door”, so teams can create controlled entry or egress when normal doors are blocked or compromised.
How are digital and networked technologies changing rescue operations and equipment management on scene?
Digital capability changes what crews can see and trust during an incident.
When teams have real-time indicators on tool condition and battery readiness, it supports quicker decisions and smoother deployment, especially when multiple tools are being used under time pressure.
It also reduces guesswork for crews rotating in and out of tasks.
The change continues after the incident.
Agencies increasingly want to manage rescue tools as a fleet, with clearer oversight of where equipment is, how it is being used and what needs servicing.
In the region, that fleet-level visibility is becoming part of the expectation, particularly for civil defence organisations that run large inventories across multiple stations.
In practical terms, what do these digital tools add for teams working under pressure?
The most immediate benefit is clarity.
Crews gain a clearer view of tool status and readiness, and that supports confident action in moments where time and accuracy matter.
It also helps supervisors and officers understand what is happening across a scene when equipment is moving between teams, vehicles and locations.
There are practical advantages in control and accountability as well.
Tools are high-value assets, and during complex incidents they can be left behind, moved unintentionally or taken.
Features that support location awareness, equipment locking and diagnostics help organisations retain control of their inventory and speed up recovery after a response.
The same data supports a smarter approach to maintenance and budgeting, because service needs become easier to anticipate and schedule.
Over time, that translates into fewer surprises, fewer preventable failures and more consistent equipment availability across the fleet.
How do you deliver training and professional development with fire and civil defence agencies in the Middle East?
We build training around realistic practice and continuity.
That usually starts with hands-on delivery, including demonstrations, practical seminars and scenario-based sessions delivered with local partners, so the content fits the vehicles, procedures and challenges agencies face in their own operating environment.
Teams need space to practise technique, build confidence and develop consistency across crews.
Online learning is also playing a bigger role, especially when agencies want standardised learning across large workforces.
E-learning and immersive formats such as augmented reality and virtual reality help teams rehearse decision-making and extrication steps without depending on a physical training vehicle every time.
We also encourage engagement with rescueDAYS, because it is an intensive training environment that brings instructors, scenarios and peer learning into one place.
Alongside that, we are developing our academy capability so agencies can access structured learning as part of a wider, longer-term relationship.
Which recent programmes have shaped your view of what skills agencies are prioritising?
Recent activity has highlighted how quickly rescue requirements are shifting.
There has been strong demand for training linked to electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and hydrogen, because agencies want practical guidance on risk, tactics and safe working methods as these vehicles become more common.
Train rescue scenarios have also been a recurring theme, and teams are looking for equipment and training that match that operational reality.
Delegations from the Gulf Cooperation Council have been part of this, including teams linked to Dubai Police, civil defence in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
We have seen appetite for intensive training participation and for structured learning pathways that keep skills current.
Maintenance and service training has been a major part of that discussion too.
Agencies want equipment that lasts for years and performs reliably, and that depends on first-level servicing knowledge, routine checks and disciplined maintenance habits.
Looking ahead, how will digitalisation, operational trends and partner expectations shape WEBER RESCUE SYSTEMS’ next phase?
Digitalisation will continue to move into the baseline expectation, both for crews on scene and for managers planning readiness, budgets and maintenance across fleets.
At the same time, operational trends will keep changing the training requirement, especially as vehicle technology evolves and agencies face a wider spread of rescue scenarios.
That creates pressure for learning that is repeatable, current and practical, and for systems that support consistent use across large teams.
For us, that connects directly to our plans for continued portfolio development and to the way we use major events such as Intersec and INTERSCHUTZ as points to present the next stages of that development.
It also links to the collaboration and knowledge transfer work we are trying to build across the Middle East, particularly within the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Finally, we are aiming to expand our reach through structured cooperation models in more countries, with trainer development and academy support that keeps partners updated as tools, risks and operational demands continue to evolve.