Bomba allocates RM3 million to strengthen logistical preparation for monsoon season

MELAKA: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has taken several key approaches to face the Northeast Monsoon season, which is expected to begin in November, including releasing a special allocation of about RM3 million to purchase various assets to strengthen its logistical preparations.

Its director (operations and rescue division) Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad said the assets purchased included 60 special boats for use during floods in urban areas and 100 units of lighting equipment for use in search and rescue missions at night or in areas hit by a power outage.

“Bomba has identified a total of 4,872 locations nationwide that are at risk of flooding ahead of the monsoon season and appropriate approaches and preparations have been taken to deal with the situation. We have also filled the vacancies for personnel and officers nationwide. So far, our personnel strength is at 96 per cent, with a total of 12,718 people,” he told reporters after the closing of a state-level disaster management course at Pantai Puteri here yesterday.

Elaborating, Nor Hisham said besides the six flood-prone states (Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Sabah and Sarawak), the risk of cities being flooded had also become a priority following a change in the disaster trend, with urban areas also affected like the major floods in Selangor last year.

He said a standard operating procedure had been formulated to tackle floods in urban areas, including the swift setting up of frontline fire and rescue control centres when disaster struck so that victims or residents could make early reports.

“If flood occurs and the situation was bad, the Bomba operations in the affected state would switch to 24 hours and all leave would be frozen,” he said. — Bernama