We often speak about Saudi Arabia’s giga projects as symbols of the future. As these visionary developments move from blueprint to reality, they raise a vital question: are we preparing our emergency responders for the cities they’ll soon be protecting?
What kind of training is required for a vertical city without conventional roads? How do we prepare firefighters to respond across remote islands, subterranean transport systems, and AI-managed buildings? What does readiness look like in an environment where risks can emerge from both physical hazards and digital systems?
These are not speculative questions. Saudi’s giga cities, such as NEOM and Qiddiya, are already taking shape and with their construction comes a unique set of challenges that are unlike any other. For fire and rescue teams, this means operating in a high-tech, hyperconnected ecosystem where traditional approaches simply will not be enough.
Saudi Arabia’s emergency services are growing in sophistication. Cities of the future bring with them fundamentally different types of operations. that demands new tools, new thinking and above all, new training. For example, fires may be triggered by integrated systems rather than accidents. Evacuations may need to happen vertically. Access routes may rely on drones or marine craft, rather than conventional roadways. These aren’t edge cases, they are the new normal.
The role of the firefighter in Saudi will therefore also shift. They’ll need to navigate live building data, deploy decision-making tools powered by AI, and operate within environments designed to be intelligent and reactive. Digital twins will support planning and real-time simulation. IoT-enabled systems will provide instant alerts for gas leaks or structural faults. Firefighters will be part of an intelligent network, not just first responders.
However, these tools are only as effective as the people trained to use them. At present, immersive technologies such as VR and AR are not yet widespread in emergency services training across the Kingdom, but immersive training offers the chance to bridge the gap and allows teams to train for scenarios that are too dangerous or complex to replicate in the real world. Custom-built digital environments can simulate everything from high-rise evacuations in The Line to island-based emergencies requiring marine or aerial deployment.
Already, VR-based training is proven to improve retention by up to 70 percent compared to traditional classroom methods. Digital twin-based modelling can reduce response times by 30 to 40 percent. These tools don’t just deliver better training; they create safer, more prepared responders from day one.
While Saudi Arabia continues to invest in civil defence infrastructure, some gaps remain in digital infrastructure training, high-rise and confined-space operations, and data-driven risk management.
There’s a clear opportunity to both expand the use of immersive technologies and introduce more specialist tracks, from managing cyber-physical incidents to handling hazardous materials that are linked to advanced industrial developments like the Green Hydrogen Plant.
We still need to go further. Entirely new frameworks, tailored to Saudis transforming topography and technology, should be developed. That includes simulation environments for underground mobility systems, vertical megastructures, and autonomous transport systems, all of which require new response techniques.
Global experience can support this journey. Models from defence, aviation, and critical infrastructure management offer valuable insights. Lessons from the UK, Australia, and the UAE can help shape simulation frameworks, AI-assisted incident planning, and long-term training centre design.
However, the goal must not be to replicate others, it must be to build a Saudi-led model. International partnerships should focus on capability transfer, mentorship, and co-development, always with localisation in mind. As outlined in Vision 2030, the development of national expertise is not just a policy priority, it is essential to sustainable progress.
This is about more than operational readiness. It’s about national resilience, building a workforce trained to world-class standards, embedded in the infrastructure of tomorrow’s cities.
Ultimately, safety in Saudi and its new cities will not be defined by the number of emergency responders deployed, but by how well they are trained, equipped, and integrated into the city’s wider intelligence network. A smart city isn’t truly smart if it can’t manage risk. For Saudi to be a global leader in innovation, it must also set a global benchmark for preparedness.
Investing in future-fit fire and rescue training isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s foundational – and it sends a clear message: that Saudi Arabia is not only building the most ambitious cities and therefore country in the world, it’s also investing in the people who will keep it safe.
