N69 Kemena forms CERT to deal with emergencies

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The Kemena N.69 CERT team members in a photocall after the training programme.

BINTULU: The Kemena N.69 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) has been formed following the successful completion of a three-day emergency response awareness training programme which was attended by 200 grassroot leaders and community members from 25 villages located within the Sebauh District.

A political secretary to the chief minister Victor Temenggong Angang officiated at the closing ceremony on behalf of the Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom.

The Petronas funded CERT programme is an awareness programme that aims to train a group of community volunteers who are able to respond and help its own community and neighbours in times of emergency and disaster.

State Security and Enforcement Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department in a statement yesterday said CERT programme essentially strengthens the emergency response capabilities of the community living far from the reach of the emergency authorities.

The Kemena N.69 CERT team is the 27th team formed in Sarawak since CERT programme was  started in 2010. The CERT participants are trained on first-aid, how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic fire awareness and electrical safety during flood.

Petronas, as the partner of the programme, also shared on LPG safety tips with the CERT participants.

According to the Deputy Director of State Security and Enforcement Unit Dato Clarence Rorote Sagon, CERT awareness programme empowers the community to be prepared for emergency and at the same time promotes the spirit of volunteerism among the community members.

“With the skills the community members picked up during the CERT programme, it is hoped that the community will be able to help themselves, their families and neighbours during emergency.

“Each member in our community ought to play an active role during emergency so that we can alleviate sufferings and mitigate loss and damages,” said Clarence.

CERT programme is an initiative of the State Government under the umbrella of the State Security and Enforcement Unit of the Chief Minister’s Department. Major partners in the CERT programme are the Royal Malaysia Police, Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), State Welfare Department, Health Department and Malaysia Civil Defence Force.

Petronas also contributed fire extinguishers, stretchers and life jackets to 25 villages in Sebauh District as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) for CERT Kemena. CERT programmes have also been planned to be held in Samarahan, Sri Aman, Serian and Limbang in the next two months.