KUCHING: The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) is in the planning phase to set up more mountain and cave search-and-rescue (Mocsar) teams, says Bomba director-general Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid.
“It’s to facilitate faster emergency response in case of incidents.
“Currently, there is only one Mocsar team in the country, and they are stationed in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah,” he said after officiating the Bomba Enhancement Programme for Zone and Station Chiefs at Penview Convention Centre, Demak near here.
Bomba had appointed about 40 mountain guides as auxiliary officers for the team in Sabah and they were given allowances and protective equipment to carry out their duties, he added.
Bomba planned to set up such units in areas popular for hiking and recreational activities such as Kuala Tahan, Pahang and Mulu National Park, Miri, Hamdan explained.
“We will follow the same principles applied in Sabah…by appointing mountain guides as auxiliary officers.
“With proper training, I believe the teams will be able to perform better in operations.
“The Mocsar teams should not be used as a general rescue team as these officers are required for specific (cave and mountain) jobs since they have the special expertise,” he said.
Hamden added that in the Peninsular, there were two such teams—in Pahang and Perak—while the team for Mulu National Park would be formed soon.
