Bomba all out to enhance preparedness for any eventuality — Director-general
KUCHING: The Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba) will strive to enhance emergency preparedness and responses for natural disasters as well as to shorten the response time towards reducing the casualty rate and major losses of properties.
In this regard, Bomba director- general Datuk Wira Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim pointed out that every aspect of the work processes needed to be reviewed and improved upon.
“This involves the entire process – from the communications whenever we pick up a distress call to processing the information received, the state of preparedness to roll out whenever the alarm goes off, making correct choices with routes to reach the location (of emergencies), up to executing the best strategy for any incident.
“In short, we need to think about ways to improve the speed, accuracy and efficiency in carrying out our duties,” he said at the presentation of Excellent Service Awards 2016 in Dewan Majma of Sarawak Islamic Complex here yesterday.
Wan Mohd Nor said last year, the department had reduced the average response time from 15.02 minutes down to 14.95 minutes, apart from handling the response to distress or emergency calls in less than 10 minutes.
“Our response time can be further improved in the near future, with the completion of the 39 new fire stations that are still under construction – 15 of which are expected to be completed this year,” he said.
He also pointed out other measures implemented to shorten the emergency response time including the introduction of Bomba posts at strategic areas across major cities and towns that often faced traffic problems and congestions, and also the ‘offensive firefighting’ approach.
“Offensive firefighting emphasises on direct, aggressive attack on the cause of fire, allowing firefighters to confine the flames as quickly as possi- ble; thus giving better chance to save victims and reduce the usage of water.
“We need to review and strengthen this technique, as well as to be more organised and aggressive in delivering fire prevention awareness and enforcement programmes, and building closer relationship with the community.”
It is also learned that the department is expected to launch the ‘ Graduate Bomba Volunteers Team’ at several public universities, in addition to its existing programmes.
Adding on, Wan Mohd Nor viewed last year as being an ‘excellent one’ for Bomba, in that the department had responded to 90,277 emergency calls – 49,875 calls related to fires, while 40,402 calls were for rescue missions.
“On average, we are responding to 247 emergency calls per day – or one every six minutes. In fact, statistics show an increase of about 10 per cent, versus 82,000 emergency calls in 2015,” he disclosed.
He said despite the increase in number of emergency calls, the value of properties lost to fires had reduced by 34 per cent from RM4.4 billion in 2015 to RM2.9 billion last year.
“The value of properties saved had increased by 21.4 per cent, from RM29.5 billion in 2015 to RM35.8 billion (in 2016). I am also proud to tell you that the number of casualties in fires had reduced by 30 per cent – from 153 in 2015 to 107 in 2016,” he added.
Nonetheless, Wan Mohd Nor emphasised the need for firefighters to be more aggressive in carrying out operations and urged his men to renew their resolve towards ‘working harder and smarter’ in meeting the rising expectations of the people.
“Last year was a great year, for we made numerous achievements. We want to maintain such excellent performance – even better, to soar to greater heights.”
Ninety- six Bomba personnel received their excellent service awards, while 63 were presented with the ‘ 30 Years of Service’ certificates.
State Bomba director Nor Hisham Mohammad and his deputy Mohd Ali Bahudin, Bomba and Rescue Academy Commandant Mohd Fauzi Moht Kifli and its assistant chief director (training division) Mohammad Hamdan Wahid were among those present.