KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 — The Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is preparing in earnest for the arrival of the northeast monsoon, including conducting continuous training since October in collaboration with other disaster agencies.
JBPM Operations Division's management head Jamri Masran said constant training was crucial in facing the real scenario of flooding.
"Assets also play an important role, they also need to be constantly checked and maintained to ensure that any equipment, assets on land and marine such as boats and so on can be deployed during floods,” he said in an interview on the ‘Selamat Pagi Malaysia’ programme over TV1 today.
In addition, Jamri said senior fire officials were also instructed to conduct inspections at fire stations to check the readiness of the officers and fire assets as well as give them motivation in discharging their duties.
Personnel at fire stations are also keeping abreast with any latest information issued by the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) and the Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), to keep the fire department on standby mode to face any possible deluge.
"In the states, we have operation centres while at the headquarters, we have an Operations Management Centre where the latest information from MetMalaysia and DID about the current situation, will be channelled to fire stations," he said.
Jamri added that in October, JBPM also launched the Rapid Action Team for more efficient fire and rescue services in the face of the monsoon.
He said the teams are set up in 11 states, namely Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, as well as two Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy in the Central Region and the Northern Region.
“The composition of each northeast monsoon Red team is not less than 15 people and comes with equipment including a light boat. It is very necessary for the process of providing aid and transferring victims and the teams can move quickly,” Jamri said.
— Bernama
