ALOR SETAR, Sept 21 — The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department has readied 1,800 of its assets in preparation of floods due to the North East Monsoon season this year.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said in encompassed land, water and sea assets, including nine helicopters, that will monitor at-risk areas.
“For operations in Borneo, the helicopters will be based in Miri, Sarawak, for the central and southern zones, we will use the airbase in Subang, Selangor, and for the northern and east coast region they will be based in Bertam, Penang,” he told reporters after the Kedah flood preparation briefing here today.
Mohammad Hamdan said the department would also monitor identified locations using drones to detect changes so that immediate action can be taken, adding that leave would be frozen for department personnel depending on current situations and needs to enable the department to optimise its services during flood disasters.
Even though there were states not listed as hotspots for floods this season, he said that the department would still be prepared as flooding could occur without prior notice.
“From our experience last year, there were hotspots that we did not expect, where flooding was so bad that it shocked the community there and complicated rescue and evacuation efforts,” Mohammad Hamdan added.
— Bernama
