Wan Mohd Nor (seated centre) with Nordin (seated fifth left), Zuraidah (seated fifth right) officers and recipients yesterday.
KOTA KINABALU: The two fire stations currently under construction in Kimanis and Beluran at an estimated cost of RM12 million are expected to be completed by next year.
Fire and Rescue Director General Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Hj Ibrahim said the fire station in Kimanis, located about 2.5km from the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT), would enable firefighters to reduce their response times in an emergency.
“The need for a fire station in Kimanis is due to the high risk of fire as the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) is within that area.
“Therefore having a fire station within the area can help to reduce response time due to an emergency.
“For the fire station in Beluran, it was chosen due to the strategic location between Sandakan and Tawau, making it faster for our fire fighters to provide assistance for both districts,” he said during an award ceremony in recognition of firefighters and those who had retired from service at the Sabah Fire and Rescue Headquarters in Lintas yesterday.
Also present were Sabah Fire and Rescue director Nordin Pauzi amd Sabah Fire and Rescue Department deputy director Zuraidah Latip.
It is learnt that the Kimanis fire station cost around RM5 million while the Beluran fire station, which will be equipped with staff quarters, costing around RM7 million.
Both fire stations started construction in 2015.
Wan Mohd Nor also added that two more fire stations are currently under constructions in Sabah while an additional two stations would be set up by next year.
He said the location of the fire stations was chosen based on several factors such as the number of population in a certain area and the distance from the district fire stations.
Meanwhile, Wan Mohd Nor also praised the setting up of mountain auxiliary firefighters or Mountain Search and Rescue (MOSAR) in the state, especially in Ranau.
He said the setting up of MOSAR was made following the earthquake in June 2015.
“Since MOSAR was set up, they have made countless search and rescue operations, giving aid and assistance to climbers of Mount Kinabalu, either tourists or locals.
“It is also a positive move as tourists who comes to climb Mt Kinabalu will feel safe that there are trained and experience team on standby round the clock that are ready to provide any assistance,” he said.
Twenty-eight people, including a volunteer firefighter, received their respective awards for the dedications and services to the department yesterday.