Fire and Rescue Dept ready for floods
> Personnel stationed at identified hotspots nationwide
PETALING JAYA: Despite the tragic loss of six of their comrades last week, personnel of the Fire and Rescue Department are in high spirits and geared up to face adverse weather forecasted this week.
Its director-general, Mohammad Hamdan Wahid, told theSun yesterday the department issued directives to all fire stations nationwide to mobilise their logistics and monitor the expected heavy rain and high tide at coastal areas which might result in floods and other calamities.
He said the department has identified hotspots prone to floods in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Penang, Miri, the Sabah coast and some parts of Selangor.
He said the department’s water rescue teams nationwide have been stationed close to the hotspots to facilitate rescue work when the need arises.
Mohammad Hamdan said that if the flood conditions worsen over the days, the department will consider freezing the leave of part of its personnel to ensure there is sufficient manpower for rescue missions.
The department is also working closely with the Meteorological Department and other agencies in efforts to coordinate the mission effectively.
“Preparations for the floods are critical and we want to focus on them. The morale of our personnel is strong and their spirits are high. We hope it remains this way as always without doubt and refrain, dedicated to give their best,” Mohammad Hamdan said.
Asked on a news report of a nongovernmental organisation planning to institute legal action against the department for negligence on behalf of the families of six firemen who were killed last week, Mohammad Hamdan declined to comment.
“Our focus now is on the flood conditions and the adverse weather. We do not wish to comment on those who wish to sue us or make comments that are not constructive. They have their right to comment but we will continue with our core values as rescuers.”
Mohammad Hamdan said the firemen who were on duty on that tragic day at a disused mining pool in Taman Perdana Putra, Puchong have been given basic counselling and their morale remains strong.