13 firefighters qualify as Air Quartermaster
Published on: Friday, March 24, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: The Fire and Rescue Department has taken great steps to further enhance the quality of its services in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.Part of the steps included stationing two helicopters at the airbase in Miri, Sarawak. However, these would not be complete without manpower to handle the helicopters.
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With this in mind, the department through its Air Division started its first Borneo series of the Air Quartermaster Basic Course on Aug 10, 2015, involving 13 firefighters who were required to pass the specified modules. The modules included basic self-management in swamps and forests, aeronautical knowledge, self-managing at sea and basic training on pre-flight management of aircraft. The 13 firefighters have now earned their stripes after completing the 18-month training which qualifies them as Air Unit Quartermaster Officers based at the Miri airbase. "Today we are proud that all 13 firefighters have qualified as a commissioned officer in the Air Quartermaster Unit," said Fire and Rescue Deputy Director-General (Operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid, here, Thursday.
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"They have undergone the challenging programme and will be tasked with operating the helicopters covering Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in case air unit assistance is needed," he said. On another note, he said last year the country faced numerous high profile cases which needed coordination and support from every party.
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He cited the latest incident involving the high profile murder of the North Korean leader's half-brother Kim Jong-Nam at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 and the Sultanah Aminah Hospital fire in Johor Baru that left six people dead. "Both cases became a polemic sensation both locally and abroad, and shows that accidents or fire can occur anywhere regardless of time and place. "In line with this, the department through the Fire and Rescue's Hazardous Material Handling Team (Hazmat) and Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN) team have done an excellent job at inspecting the airport premises to ensure it is free from hazardous chemicals. "I am also glad to note that we have sufficient and competent manpower to handle cases involving hazardous chemicals. In fact, our team is also registered with the National Authority Chemical Weapon Convention in Geneva," he said. On another note, he said the department also has to identify possibly risks and control fire from its source, adding that the people also have a role to play to avoid untoward incidents. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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