In application of the provisions of this Law by Decree, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings assigned to each of them, unless the context otherwise requires:
State: United Arab Emirates.
Emirate: Any emirate of the State.
NCEMA: National Emergency, Crisis and Disaster Management Authority.
CDA: Civil Defence Authority.
Competent Authority: The local authority competent with civil defence affairs in the Emirate.
Director General: The director general of the CDA.
Civil Defence: Protecting lives, property and national wealth in times of peace, war, emergencies and disasters.
Civil Defence Measures: A set of procedures and means taken by CDA to protect lives, property, facilities, public and private projects, and national wealth in the Emirates where there is no competent authority.
Event: Any natural or unnatural event that occurs with or without warning and that may threaten death, cause damage to property or the environment, or disrupt the course of life in society. 
Risks: Any serious event that has occurred or is likely to occur and that requires CDA to be put on alert.
Concerned Authorities: Federal and local government authorities concerned with providing assistance in taking civil defence measures.
 

1. Pursuant to the provisions of this Law by Decree, an authority called the "Civil Defence Authority" shall be established in NCEMA.
2. NCEMA shall replace the Civil Defence Authority of the Ministry of Interior, established by virtue of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (23) of 2006 referred to, in all financial and legal rights and obligations, and all its assets and possessions shall be transferred thereto. CDA shall exercise the competences assigned thereto in this Law by Decree.
3. The Cabinet shall issue all resolutions necessary to transfer all the CDA's assets, possessions and military and civilian personnel, appointed to the federal cadre, from the Ministry of Interior to the Authority, without prejudice to their ranks, grades and salaries, provided that their situations are settled in accordance with the systems and regulations in force in NCEMA.
 

The CDA shall exercise the following competences:
1. Developing policies, strategies and legislations related to civil defence affairs, in coordination with the Concerned Authorities, and submitting them to NCEMA to take the procedures to approve them in accordance with the legislations in force in the State.
2. Studying potential events, risks and disasters and preparing the necessary plans to manage them.
3. Developing programmes to prevent potential risks and their requirements.
4. Preparing plans necessary to manage risks.
5. Establishing controls and requirements necessary to secure buildings and establishments against fire risks.
6. Moving to fire sites and working to extinguish them as quickly as possible.
7. Establishing and equipping risk management rooms and centres.
8. Establish a public alert system to warn residents of potential risks.
9. Develop plans for evacuating residents in circumstances that require the same.
10. Establishing public shelters and supervising the preparation of shelters for buildings, residential buildings, institutions and accommodation centres, and providing medical and social care to those affected in coordination with the Competent Authority and Concerned Entities.
11. Preparing and installing the equipment, machinery, devices and tools necessary for civil defence work.
12. Preparing and coordinating medical, social, engineering, administrative, educational and other services necessary to address potential risks in coordination with the Competent Authority and Concerned Entities.
13. Coordinating with entities that have internal security and safety devices, especially oil companies, airports, and others, to organise the methods of providing support from the Civil Defence to these entities upon request.
14. Forming teams necessary to carry out response and relief work in the affected areas.
15. Developing training programmes and joint simulation exercises for Civil Defence Personnel and volunteers.
16. Developing awareness programmes and informing the residents of the necessary duties during risks.
17. Monitoring the dangers of radioactive, chemical and biological pollution in times of peace and war, and taking the necessary response measures in cooperation and coordination with the competent authorities and Concerned Entities.
18. Coordination and mutual cooperation between the Emirates of the State regarding civil defence affairs.
19. Establishing support and assistance centres and defining their competences to enhance civil defence services at the national, regional and international levels, after the approval of the Cabinet.
20. Contributing to restoring normal life to disaster areas and re-operating the services of affected public and private facilities, in coordination with the competent authorities and Concerned Entities.
21. Any other competences entrusted to CDA in accordance with laws, regulations or resolutions issued by the Cabinet or NCEMA.
 

The CDA shall have a military Director General, whose appointment shall be made by virtue of a federal decree issued upon a proposal from the NCEMA Chairman. He shall assume the powers granted thereto by virtue of the provisions of this Law by Decree and the relevant laws and legislations in force in NCEMA, and in particular the following tasks and competences:
1. Proposing and developing policies, strategies and legislation related to the competences entrusted to CDA, submitting them to the NCEMA Chairman for approval, and supervising their implementation.
2. Proposing laws, regulations, and work plans necessary for the proper progress of work at CDA, and submitting them to the NCEMA Chairman for approval.
3. Following up on the implementation of plans, programmes, projects and activities to be supervised, managed or implemented by CDA.
4. Submitting a recommendation to the NCEMA Chairman regarding the announcement of a disaster.
5. Proposing appropriate decisions regarding potential risks and how to address them in light of the results and proposals submitted thereto by the Competent Authority and other concerned entities, and submitting them to the NCEMA Chairman for approval.
6. Determining the cities and regions in which all or some of the civil defence measures are applied, deciding on the priority of implementation during emergencies in coordination with the Competent Authority, and submit it to the NCEMA Chairman for approval.
7. Developing the CDA's annual draft budget and final account in coordination with the concerned department at NCEMA, submitting them to the NCEMA Chairman for approval, and following up on the implementation of the budget within the appropriations established for it.
8. Supervising the organisational units affiliated therewith and following up on their achievements and performance results.
9. Submitting periodic and annual reports related to CDA work to the NCEMA Chairman.
10. Representing CDA in its relationship with others in accordance with the powers and legislations in force in NCEMA.
11. Appointing and terminating the services of the CDA's employees in accordance with the legislations in force in NCEMA.
12. Concluding contracts and agreements necessary to exercise the CDA's competences in accordance with the legislations in force.
13. Any other competences, tasks or powers entrusted thereto by virtue of laws or regulations, or assigned thereto by the NCEMA Chairman.
The Director General may delegate some of his tasks or powers to any senior NCEMA staff as he deems appropriate, provided that the delegation shall be in writing and specific.
 

1. For the purposes of implementing civil defence operations, CDA has the right to benefit from real estate and establishments in return for fair compensation in the event of damages occurring as a result of the exercise of this right. The owner of the real estate or establishment, its occupant, beneficiary or possessor may not carry out any act that contravenes this.
2. In cases of emergency, disaster and risk, the NCEMA Chairman may issue decisions to benefit from real estate, movable property, means of transportation and other things to the extent necessary to implement civil defence procedures and work, provided that this is done on a temporary basis and in return for fair compensation.
3. The entities designated by a decision issued by the NCEMA Chairman shall contract with any entity or person to be responsible for everything related to implementing fire prevention and safety requirements within their establishments, and developing and implementing internal plans to confront potential risks within the establishments and evacuate their occupants in cooperation and coordination with NCEMA.
4. The entities referred to in the preceding Clause shall, after coordination with NCEMA, allocate within their annual budget the necessary financial appropriations under the item "Civil Defence" in order to implement the measures assigned to them within the scope of their duties or services.
5. The NCEMA Chairman shall issue, based on the proposal of the Director General, a decision defining the requirements that must be met by the entities and persons with whom contracts may be concluded for the purposes of implementing the provisions of Clause (3) of this Article.
 

1. The Competent Authority and the Concerned Entities shall provide CDA with all information or data it requests related to civil defence work and measures.
2. The Competent Authority shall coordinate and cooperate with CDA in providing services related to civil defence work and measures whenever necessary.
3. The Competent Authority shall observe the policies and strategies related to civil defence in force in the Authority when issuing policies, strategies and plans related to civil defence.
4. The Competent Authority may request CDA to assist it in taking civil defence measures.
5. The authorities competent with issuing licences for any real estate or establishment shall not issue these licences before the concerned parties submit an official certificate issued by CDA stating that the property or facility meets the prevention and safety requirements.
6. In cases of disaster, the NCEMA Chairman may obligate some entities, as well as persons with special professions or crafts, to have workers present and to ensure regular work, to ensure the continuation of normal life.
 

1. There shall be coordination between CDA and the Armed Forces on the following topics:
    a. Foundations of cooperation between the Armed Forces and Civil Defence.
    b. Determining the information and statistical data provided by the Armed Forces and how they are presented in war situations.
    c. Implementing civil defence operations and instructions in the camps and units of the Armed Forces.
2. A Cabinet resolution may be issued to coordinate cooperation between CDA and any other ministry or federal entity.
 

1. The CDA shall provide fair compensation to anyone who has suffered harm as a result of Civil Defence experiments or actions, provided that the affected party submits a claim for compensation for the harm within sixty (60) days as of the date of its occurrence, unless the failure to claim within said period is due to a reason beyond his control.
2. A committee of experts shall be formed by virtue of a decision issued by the Director General to consider claims for compensation. The committee shall decide on these claims within sixty (60) days as of the date of their submission.
3. The concerned party may issue grievance against the committee's decision before the NCEMA Chairman within thirty (30) days as of the date of notification of its decision, without prejudice to the laws, regulations and resolutions in force in the State.
 

1. In cases of emergency and disaster, CDA may secure its needs through direct purchase without resorting to the tender system.
2. Machinery, equipment, devices and tools imported for CDA shall be exempt from any federal customs duties.
 

The CDA shall be subject to the human resources, financial, contractual, accounting, and procurement legislations in force in NCEMA.

CDA employees designated by a resolution issued by the Minister of Justice, in agreement with the NCEMA chairman, shall have the capacity of judicial officers in proving all violations of the provisions of this Law by Decree and the resolutions issued in implementation thereof, each within their jurisdiction.

The Cabinet shall issue, upon the proposal of the Minister of Finance and after coordination with the NCEMA Chairman, a decision on the fees collected from beneficiaries of the civil defence services provided by CDA, and on the fines imposed for violating the provisions of this Law by Decree and the resolution issued in implementation thereof.

1. Whoever commits any of the following acts shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding six (6) months or by a fine:
    a. Violating the provisions of this Law by Decree, the regulations or resolutions issued in implementation thereof.
    b. Committing an act or intentional omission that would cause the disruption or cessation of machines and equipment being installed for civil defence purposes. In cases other than intentional acts, the perpetrator shall be liable for the value of the machines and equipment he damaged or the costs of reinstalling them.
2. In cases of disaster, the penalty for the acts stipulated in Clause (1) of this Article shall be imprisonment for a period not less than two months and/or a fine not less than twenty thousand (20,000) AED and not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) AED.
3. The imposition of the penalties stipulated in this Law by Decree shall not prejudice any severer penalty stipulated in any other law.

The provisions of this Law by Decree shall not prejudice the powers granted to the Competent Authority to take civil defence measures in accordance with the legislations regulating its affairs.

The NCEMA Chairman shall issue the regulations and resolutions necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this Law by Decree.

1. Federal Law No. (9) of 2004 Concerning Volunteering in Civil Defence and Federal Law No. (23) of 2006 Concerning Civil Defence shall be repealed, as well as any provisions that contravene or conflict with the provisions of this Law by Decree.
2. The resolutions and regulations in force in the Civil Defence Authority, established by virtue of the aforementioned Federal Law No. (23) of 2006, at the time of the issuance of this Law by Decree, shall continue to be implemented without prejudice to its provisions, until the issuance of their replacements in accordance with the provisions of this Law by Decree.
 

This Law by Decree shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall enter into force as of the day following the date of its publication.