State Bomba hopes for funding to revive auxiliary firefighter teams

BY SARAH HAFIZAH CHANDRA & AWANG MUHD SYAHMI
 
KUCHING: The state Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) is hoping for a bigger allocation from the federal government to revive inactive Pasukan Bomba Sukarela (PBS) or auxiliary firefighter teams across Sarawak.
 
Sarawak Bomba director Datuk Khirudin Drahman disclosed that there are a total of 57 PBS teams in the state, but 14 teams are inactive.
 
The inactive PBS teams are in Batu Kawa, Balai Ringin, Sebuyau, Beladin, Julau, Song, Long Pulah Baram, Rh Chabu Lepong, Sibuti Miri, Long Bedian Miri, Bario, Sungai Bok Sebatang, Long Ikang, and Long Laput.
 
He said those teams are discouraged by the fact that there is no sufficient budget to purchase necessary equipment and implement basic training courses.
 
“Back in 2019, I set a target to have at least 60 PBS teams in Sarawak so that they can become the first responders to incidents that occur, especially in the rural interiors.
 
“It is our hope that the federal government will provide more allocation so that we can revive inactive PBS teams, among others,” he said.
 
He said this during a press conference after an iftar ceremony organised by the Kuching Division Journalists Association (KDJA) and Petra Jaya fire station yesterday (April 1).
 
As Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia, Khirudin said the federal government should take this into consideration for the proportion of allocation to be given to the state.
 
At the same time, he said the ‘Kita Selamat’ awareness and educational programme as well as the establishment of the Bomba Community have led to several success stories.
 
“Last year, there were some 13 cases of longhouse fire, and seven were safe due to the residents’ prompt actions of using the existing fire points and fire extinguishers.
 
“The department is determined in the pursuit of building a resilient community because the members of the community themselves must be the first responders as the first five minutes of a fire incident are crucial,” he said.