Volunteer firefighters want to be better equipped for floods

Penguang signs the plague to officiate the commissioning of Sungai Sebatang Bok volunteer firefighting team building. Law is seen on his right.

MIRI (Nov 29): Zone 6 Miri Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) chief Supt Law Poh Kiong is appealing to the government for additional allocations for volunteer firefighters in Sungai Sebatang Bok, Beluru, Baram to purchase equipment for rescue missions in times of floods.

The volunteer firefighting team in Sungai Sebatang Bok is the fifth team under Zone 6 Miri Fire and Rescue Department jurisdiction after Batu Niah, Bekenu, Long Pilah and Entulang. It was formed in March this year.

The team consists of 60 members comprising longhouse residents of Rh Salin Abong.

“This volunteer firefighting team can assist in preventing and controlling fires as well as carrying out other activities such as flood relief.

“So, we hope the government can provide more allocation to purchase other equipment other than those used in fire prevention, such as equipment for rescue missions during the flood season including life jackets, boats and others,” he said when contacted by The Borneo Post on Sunday.

The construction of a building meant for the volunteer firefighters, costing RM170,000, commenced in January and was completed on Oct 29.

The building was constructed with state government’s Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) fund through Assistant Minister of Local Government and Housing Datu Dr Penguang Manggil.

Located strategically at Rh Salin Abong near the side of the highway from the Bakong heading towards Lapok, the building is equipped with parking spaces, office cum meeting room, equipment room and dressing room.

It was commissioned by Penguang during a ceremony held at the longhouse on Saturday.

Also present at the event were Law, Miri Central Fire Station chief Mohamad Hamdani Madon and Lopeng Fire Station chief Terry Robson Forance Nyanggau.

Commenting further, Law said the idea of setting up a volunteer firefighting team in Rh Salin Abong started on Jan 25, 2019 when 60 longhouse residents from Rh Salin, Rh Musin, Rh John, Rh Sidi, Rh Catherina Sunday and Rh Agnes were trained to form a longhouse community firefighting team.

“Not long after, a fire occurred at Rh Catherina Sunday on Feb 19, 2019, and the team had managed to control the fire that had completely razed four stores from spreading.

“This had raised the spirits of Rh Salin residents to set up a volunteer firefighting team to protect and maintain the safety of residents and longhouses around the Sg Selulit area.

“Indirectly, the volunteer firefighting team has proven their ability in becoming first responders to control such situation there as the nearest fire station is located in Lopeng, an hour and a half away.

“At least they can act as the earliest responders before the firefighters arrived from Miri,” said Law.

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