(From fourth left) Nor Hisham, Wong, Hii and Abdul Mutalib in a group photo with the course participants.
SIBU: The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) is fighting to get the budget to equip all Volunteer Fire Brigades (PBS) in Sarawak with fire engines.
Its director Nor Hisham Mohammad said out of the 38 PBS throughout the state, which are manned by volunteer firefighters comprising longhouse residents in rural locations, only 19 were equipped with fire engines.
“This will be the setback to the 19 existing PBS that are still without fire engines and the new PBS that we planned to form in the future if we are unable to get the equipment.
“We are fighting for this matter for Sarawak because opening new fire stations will take a long time.
“In some areas it is not practical and economical to set up a new fire station due to location, for example in Mulu and Bario,” he told reporters after the closing of ‘Bomba With Community: Summer Camp Series 1/2016’ at Bomba Sungai Merah station here yesterday.
Second Finance Minister, who is Bawang Assan assemblyman, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh officiated at the event.
Nor Hisham disclosed that Bomba Sarawak targeted to have a total of 50 PBS by 2020 and to supply one PBS with fire engine would cost a minimum of RM150,000.
“We will need millions to get fire engines for the 19 existing PBS without fire engines,” he said, and added RM1 million would be needed to install water pump for the PBS.
Nor Hisham also said new fire stations were currently being built in Niah in Miri Division, Samalaju in Bintulu Division and Tanjung Manis in Sarikei Division. A project to build a fire station in Daro will be tendered out next month while a similar project for Belaga had to be delayed due to geographical factors at its proposed site, he added.
“I was also informed by Public Works Department that project tenders for construction of Matu, Bintangor and Sibu Jaya fire stations will be out in April next year.
“Some of the fire stations will cost RM5.5 million and some cost RM9 million,” he said.
On a related matter, he said Sarawak had 29 fire stations so far categorised under Grade A (six stations), B (six stations), C (16 stations) and D (one station).
A total of 23 longhouse chiefs from Bawang Assan attended the three-day programme aimed to impart fire fighting knowledge to rural folk.
Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee, Sibu Zone Bomba chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid, Temenggong Stanley Geramong and Sibu Civil Defence Force chief Captain Frankie John Jawan were among those present.