KUCHING: In a recent inspection of fire hydrants at the Mile 3 Old Market, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Pending state assemblywoman, Violet Yong emphasised the importance of functional fire hydrants in all areas to minimise the risks and loss of property when a fire breaks out.
Yong, along with the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) team, visited the location to better understand the issue of hidden underground fire hydrants and how it had affected previous fire incidents.
“Delays in the golden hour of firefighting occurred because the fire hydrants were hidden underground, making it difficult for firefighters to locate them when a fire broke out,” she noted in a press statement yesterday.
In response to public complaints, she notified Bomba and requested that the department upgrade the existing old-style fire hydrants hidden underground to regular red fire hydrants to make them easier to locate.
Bomba had since agreed to include the upgrading of fire hydrants in their project list and was expected to carry out the work by the middle of this year.
During the inspection, the Bomba team carried out tests on the functionality of fire hydrants in the vicinity of Mile 3 Bazaar and found that all seven fire hydrants in the area were in good working condition.
Yong expressed her hope that the Bomba would conduct regular inspections of fire hydrants in all areas to ensure their functionality during emergencies.
“Many fire breakouts, fire victims suffered huge property losses because firefighters could not locate hidden fire hydrants, or if found, they were malfunctioning, resulting in rescue delays,” she said.
She added that this move to upgrade and maintain fire hydrants was expected to have a significant impact on the safety of people and property in the area, and hopefully set a precedent for other areas to follow suit.
