Fire stations asked to prepare for El-Nino
KUCHING: The state Fire and Rescue Department ( Bomba) has issued memos to all fire stations to prepare for the El-Nino weather phenomenon.
Bomba state director Nor Hisham Mohamad said this is to mobilise officers to plan staff activities and work schedules.
“We have prepared our machinery, firefighting equipment, to be in working order for emergencies and to give instructions to our engineering division to inspect what we have,” he told a press conference at the 25th national-level Bomba Cadet Camp 2014 in Santubong, near here yesterday.
“Apart from that, Bomba is issuing leaflets on open burning to the public and estate plantations.”
Nor Hisham said all fire stations would also be instructed to recruit volunteer firefighters, who would need to be ready for action and work with all other agencies in the state when required.
Currently there are 35 teams of registered volunteer firefighters in the state.
Nor Hisham said Bomba has built two stations at Kampung Bako Indah and Kampung Long Pilah for volunteers and hoped more would be built to assist Bomba statewide.
“These volunteers now have a total of 19 vehicles statewide — 16 Proton Arenas and three Mitsubishi Tritons — to assist them in putting out fires and for rescue operations,” he added.
Last year, the volunteers dealt with 30 cases, while up to April this year, the volunteers had dealt with 37 cases.
As of last month, a total of 1,244 fire cases were reported, 891 of which were caused by open burning.
Total loss caused by fire in term of assets up to last month was estimated at RM39.8 million, while Bomba managed to save an estimated RM156.32 million worth of assets.