Fire and rescue services for Saudi Arabia’s key assets

Saudi Arabia

Edward Brown, CEO of Britam Arabia, talks to The Energy Year about the company’s growing business in Saudi Arabia’s western provinces and in the country’s mining and construction sectors. Britam Arabia is a private firefighting company that operates in Saudi Arabia.

Can you share some highlights from your operations in the past year?
Britam Arabia has experienced remarkable growth over the past year. Today, we have a team of approximately 650 professionals operating across 27 fire stations in Saudi Arabia. One of the most significant developments has been our expansion on the west coast. We secured a major contract in the holy city of Mecca with the Saudi Binladin Group, and we now have around 160 firefighters dedicated to serving this location.
Building on that success, we were also awarded the contract for Jeddah Tower, soon to be the tallest in the world. We will be providing emergency fire and rescue services for this iconic development. We also continue to play a role in NEOM, where we are currently supporting two key projects.
We are shifting from being primarily an Eastern-Province-based company to establishing a stronger presence in Riyadh, where we plan to open a branch office early in 2025. The move reflects the changes in regional demand and our client base. When Britam Arabia was founded 14 years ago, being based in the Eastern Province made sense due to our focus on clients such as Jubail and Aramco. However, our projects today are less directly tied to oil and gas, as companies such as Aramco and SABIC have developed first-class fire services.
Over the next 18 or 24 months, we envision a more balanced presence in the country, with our head office in Riyadh supported by outstations in the Eastern Province and Jeddah. This will allow us to better serve our clients, respond to emerging business opportunities and maintain awareness of where future growth lies.

What are some of the services that Britam Arabia can offer to the mining sector?
We are currently involved in two projects with Ma’aden. One is at Ras Al Khair, a fertiliser plant that represents the downstream side of mining, where we handle safety operations. Our hazmat capabilities ensure that we are prepared to manage complex fires if they occur.
The second project focuses on safety training for Ma’aden’s gold mines. Our instructors provide expertise to Ma’aden’s emergency response teams, who are responsible for fire prevention and operating their own underground fire services. While we are not directly involved in providing firefighting services, we build the teams’ capabilities through training.
Underground mines pose unique safety challenges. If Britam Arabia were to take on an underground mining project, we would approach it by leveraging our experience in similar specialised environments, such as ports or airports. With our international reach and network of experts, we would be able to identify and bring in individuals with the right experience.

Are you incorporating any new technologies into your operations?
We actively monitor emerging technologies to enhance our fire operations and overall business. Our logistics department stays up to date on advancements in fire safety technologies and builds close relationships with suppliers, which gives us access to cutting-edge solutions and innovative tools.
For instance, we’re preparing to participate in a civil defence exhibition in the Eastern Province, where one of our providers will display their latest technologies. By acting as capability demonstrators, we can present and test equipment that we believe can bring improvements to fire and safety operations.
Additionally, we are beginning to incorporate AI into various aspects of our business. We see significant potential for AI, particularly in areas such as financial management. It is already helping us streamline the production of management reports, and we believe it will play an even greater role in improving efficiency across our operations in the future.

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