(From right) Hii, Nor Hisham, Wong, Abdul Mutalib, Stanley and Andrew watching the fire-fighting demonstration by longhouse participants.
SIBU: Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) has received a ‘pat on the back’ for its programmes to educate rural people on fire prevention and awareness.
Second Finance Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh praised Bomba for a good job done under the capable leadership of state Fire and Rescue Services director Nor Hisham Mohammad.
“Fires are something we cannot avoid. We need cooperation not only from Bomba but the people, particularly those in longhouses to prevent outbreaks of fire.
“Longhouse residents must be very careful by taking all steps necessary to avoid a fire outbreak when cooking or in the kitchen,” he told reporters after officiating at the closing of “Bomba with Community: Summer Camp” programme held at Sungai Merah fire station here on Sunday.
The Bomba programme was organised for longhouse chiefs from Bawang Assan to enhance their knowledge on fire prevention. The participants were also appointed as ‘Fire Marshalls’ of their own longhouse after completing the three-day programme.
Wong later advised rural folk to get competent and certified electrical contractors to do wiring for their longhouses. Without disclosing figures, the Bawang Assan assemblyman said a big percentage of fire cases involving longhouses were caused by short circuit.
Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) Councillor Chabu Rimao, who represented 23 participants of the programme, said they were happy to be appointed as fire marshalls of their longhouses.
He said they previously had little knowledge on fire prevention and measures to control fire from spreading in the event of an outbreak.
“Now we know what to do at least to save lives and minimise damage to properties when there is a fire. We hope this programme can be extended to (more) longhouse residents,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nor Hisham disclosed that there were 19 cases of longhouse fires involving 270 doors with RM13.251 million in losses from January until October this year.
On average, he said per door suffered RM65,000 in amount of losses in every longhouse fire.
He also said Bomba Sarawak had organised a total of 134 Fire Point programmes, set up 219 Sarawak Bomba Community teams and appointed 131 Fire Marshalls statewide so far.
Also present were Sibu Zone Bomba chief Abdul Mutalib Rashid, Sibu Resident Hii Chang Kee, Temenggong Stanley Geramong and United People’s Party (UPP) Bawang Assan Bumiputera unit chairman Andrew Shilling Bangit.