November 01, 2009 19:55 PM

RM116 Million For Sarawak Fire And Rescue Department To Improve Facilities

BAU, Nov 1 (Bernama) -- The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department will spend RM116 million on equipping itself with better facilities, including setting up an air unit in Kuching, the first for the state.

Its director Ahmad Shahabudin said under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) Mid-Term Review, a RM40 million forward operation base for the air unit and a regional training centre, also costing RM40, were planned for Sarawak.

"Three sites were approved for the building of a fire station in Simunjan, Bintangor and Sarikei, each project costing RM12 million," he said at a department's programme with the media organised jointly by the department and the Kuching Division Journalists Association.

Ahmad said a workshop in Semariang, Petra Jaya, and a fire station each and staff quarters in Siburan, Sri Aman, Saratok and Mukah, all costing RM99.8, had been fully completed under the 9MP.

According to him, fire incidents in the state had risen from 812 in 2008 to 864 in the first seven months of this year, with 11 reported deaths and injuries to 38 victims.

He said during the same period (Jan-Sept, 2009), RM421.8 worth of property were saved in the fire incidents while losses amounted to RM31.8 million.

He also said that RM200,000 had been allocated by the government to intensify fire-prevention campaigns at the longhouses and for the purchase of fire extinguishers to be distributed to the longhouses nationwide.

"Last year, 15 longhouses were damaged or destroyed by fire," he added.

On the programme with the media, he said it was to familiarise journalists with the department's fire-prevention and rescue operations and the risks and challenges involved as well as fire-fighting equipment, and providing them with simulation exercise in fire-fighting.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based) 
news coverage in our Newswire service.