KOTA KINABALU: About 80 per cent of the 700 fire personnel in Sabah will be on duty during the Hari Raya festive season to ensure safety of the community, said Sabah Fire and Rescue Services Department deputy director of operations Mohd Zahar Abdullah.
Zahar said only 20 per cent of the fire personnel in the State were allowed to take leave on the first and second days of Hari Raya, which meant that around 560 fire personnel will be on duty during Hari Raya.
He disclosed this when launching the Balik Kampung campaign in conjunction with Hari Raya at Petronas, Kg Bakut, Tuaran here yesterday. The campaign was a joint effort by the Volunteer Fire Brigade, Tuaran, Fire and Rescue Services Department and Petronas, Kg Bakut.
Zahar said there had been an increase in the number of accidents during festive season based on past statistics, and he reminded the public to be aware of their safety wherever they are – at home, on the road and at the office.
He said the Fire Department had also launched its own safety awareness campaign in Suria Sabah several days ago and would be doing a similar event in Lok Kawi today (August 5).
Zahar added that the police, Fire Department and Road Safety Department had given out flyers to remind the public of safety precautions during the festive season.
“People are complaining that they could only drive up to 80 kilometres an hour on the highways. But we have to remember that there are many vehicles on the road during the festive season, as all also ‘balik kampung’,” he said.
Zahar further reminded house owners to notify the police if they would be away from home so that they could make their patrol around the location of their houses.
“Safety should be the top priority. We do not want tragedies to ruin the spirit of the festive season,” he stressed.
On a happier note, he commended the Volunteer Fire Brigade in Tuaran for doing the campaign with the Road Safety Department, saying that they were the only one out of the 45 Volunteer Fire Brigade units in Sabah to have done so.
Zahar also presented the Volunteer Fire Brigade in Tuaran with ambulance equipment at the event.
Also present was Raymond Su, chairman of the Volunteer Fire Brigade Tuaran division.