SIBU: The Fire and Rescue Department is planning to set up several more Mountain Cave Search and Rescue (Mocsar) teams in Sarawak.
Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin said personnel for the team will be recruited among locals who knew the topography of mountains and caves in their respective areas, which would later help them to respond to any kinds of incidents.
“We will set up several more such units for Niah Cave and the caves in Bau areas. The personnel will be given some basic training and equipment and will be provided with some allowances,” she told reporters after opening the RM5.8 million category C Sibu Jaya Fire and Rescue Station here, today.
According to Zuraida the setting up of the team is vital to render assistance in search and rescue mission should any incidents occurred.
The first Mocsar was established on July 12 last year in Mulu, a year after a drowning incident which took the lives of a 20-year-old tourist guide Roviezal Robin and a Dutch tourist at Deer Cave, Mulu National Park.
Zuraida also said the department is also aiming to build 120 more fire stations in stages in the country including in Sarawak in future.
As for Sarawak which has a very wide area to cover, the department will continue to set up more volunteer firefighting teams and community firefighting teams in the rural areas and longhouses in Sarawak, she added.
“Due to financial constraint, we cannot build the fire stations simultaneously nationwide. We will build them phase by phase, the setting up of more volunteer firefighting teams and community firefighting teams is the right approach at the moment to give a more responsive service especially in remote areas,” she said.
To date there are 53 volunteer firefighting teams with 2,983 personnel in the rural areas of Sarawak.
Zuraida later officially opened a new fire station in Bintangor before proceeding with a visit to Julau. – Bernama
