‘Fire prevention, safety knowledge can reduce fatalities, property loss’
MIRI: Basic fire prevention and fire safety knowledge should be taught to the public to reduce fatalities and property loss, said state Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin.
He said with the knowledge on what to do in the event of a fire, the public could at least do something to protect themselves and others, besides helping to minimise the damage while waiting for the arrival of firefighters.
“When the public has basic fire safety training, they could at least do something to help while waiting for firefighters, who may need a bit of time arriving to the location depending on the distance.
“Hence, the Fire Safety Organisation training programme held for the past two days is very useful,” he said when officiating the closing and prize presentation of the Fire Safety Organisation training programme, last Sunday.
Lee added that with a competition held after the training programme allowed the trainees to put into practice the knowledge they had learned.
In view of the benefits such a programme would bring to the local communities, Lee called on the organisers to hold it at more housing estates, villages and longhouses.
He also pledged RM10,000 to support the programme.
“Expand it, train them and organise competitions. It is a good way for the local residents to learn (fire safety) and practise the knowledge. It is a very good training and I am committed to support such programme,” he said.
The training and competition was participated by 66 teams from hotels, shopping mall, factories, oil palm plantations, hospitals, clinics, offices, warehouses and companies.
Miri Port Authority was overall champion, while Petronas’ Miri Crude Oil Terminal and Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club placed second and third, respectively.