LABUAN: Fire and Rescue Department director-general Dato’ Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim yesterday told that fire and rescue personnel had given their best in rescuing victims of the plane crash incident in Kudat on Thursday.
“The response time shown by our personnel was fast and the cause of the accident is still under investigation by the agencies concerned,” he said after signing the Labuan Emergency Mutual Aid (LEMA) 2013 manual procedure book.
According to Wan, LEMA was set up as an initiative to assist in the event of an emergency, such as explosions or fire at the oil and gas industrial area here.
LEMA was joined by seven agencies here, namely Asian Supply Base Sdn Bhd, Petronas Chemical Methanol, Sabah Shell Petroleum Co Ltd, Antara Steel Mills Sdn Bhd, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, Petronas Dagangan Sdn Bhd and Shell Timur Sdn Bhd.
Earlier, the members signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) whereby they agreed to render assistance to the Fire and Rescue Department in terms of logistic, equipment and volunteer teams during an emergency.
Besides that, the cooperation also includes training for its members.
Wan informed that the LEMA manual book had been updated by strengthening cooperation among its members and the Labuan Fire and Rescue Department.
“One of the points added to this manual book is the joint effort to resist onshore fire, including managing the incident, methods to extinguish the fire at port and others.
“This was derived from our experience during last year’s incident where the MT Bunga Alpinia exploded at the Petronas Chemical Methanol Port, and also by considering other risks,” he said.
Also present was Labuan member of parliament Rozman Isli, who complimented the effort made by the department in order to prepare for the risks involved at the oil and gas industrial area here.
“Labuan, as an oil and gas industry hub, needs a high standard of risk management such as this prepared by the Fire and Rescue Department.
“The growth of the industry here must be in tandem with all aspects, including the facility and equipment at our hospital here to cater to risks or accidents in the industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, Asian Supply Base Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Dato Harris Annuar Tan descrbed the setting up of the LEMA as vital and a bold step taken by the Fire and Rescue Department.
“Through LEMA, we will advise the hospital here to inform them about the risks involved in the oil and gas industrial area, where the purpose of LEMA is to save lives while the hospital can cater to all kinds of accidents in the industry.
“With LEMA, we want to ensure that the people’s interests as a whole, especially their safety, are taken care of in this island,” he said.
Also present were fire and rescue operation department assistant director-general Dato’ Soiman Jahid and Labuan Rescue and Fire Department director Jainal@Zainal Madasin.