Civil Defence Dept targets 200,000 volunteers next year

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KOTA KINABALU: The Civil Defence Department (JPAM) has lined up an array of programmes to strengthen and improve its task force and operations for next year.

Its deputy director general, Selamat Hj Dahalan, said among the department’s new objectives is to get more volunteers into the department by 2013.

“This year we have targeted about 200,000 new members and we hope to target the same number for next year,” he said yesterday.

Selamat said training modules would also be improvised and updated to ensure best emergency response results.

“The department will also expand the MERS 999 system and extend the service to every state in the country,” he said, adding that there are currently only five units of MERS 999 for use in Malaysia.

Selamat said JPAM would also work with other enforcement agencies locally as well as those from Australia and Singapore for training purposes.

“This is to strengthen new and existing members of the force, especially for life saving efforts,” he explained.

Meanwhile, when asked about the preparations for the rainy season, Selamat said the JPAM members were fully prepared and equipped with knowledge on how to face flood and similar problems.

“All our members from the hardcore team and the back-up team have been given training on what to do, which tool needed to be used and how to respond in times of emergency,” he said, adding that about 11,000 personnel were on standby and ready to be deployed in an event of a massive flood anywhere in the state.