Mordi Bimol
KUCHING (March 16): Mas Gading MP Mordi Bimol has called for a review of the standard operating procedures (SOP) of the Malaysian Emergency Response System (MERS) 999.
He said this is to avoid delays in emergency response due to communication problems.
“Apart from that, it is also proposed that any emergency calls related to fires that occur in Sarawak be connected directly to any of the nearest district fire stations.
“It is hoped that MERS takes note of this matter so that such incidents do not recur. It is hoped that the public will also keep important emergency numbers such as police stations, hospitals and fire stations in their nearest areas,” he said in a statement today.
Mordi was referring to the fire at Taman Goldhill Bau last Sunday, which partially destroyed a double-storey house.
He noted that whenever an emergency occurs whether it is an accident, fire, landslide, theft incident, or flood, the victim or the caller will make an emergency call via mobile phone to the MERS by dialing 999.
He said the March 13 fire was noticed at 8.45am by neighbours, and an emergency call was made at 8.55am.
“The 999 emergency call made by the victim’s neighbour was received by the MERS based in Kuala Lumpur.
“Based on the information of the complaint made by the victim’s neighbour to the MERS, the operator who answered the call decided to send a team from the Serian Fire and Rescue Station while the victim’s neighbour had already asked for a team from the Bau Fire and Rescue Station to be sent,” he said.
Mordi said a team from Bau Fire and Rescue Station arrived at 9.10am, after the victim’s brother-in-law had to rush to the Bau Fire and Rescue Station to get help directly.
He added that the Bau Fire and Rescue Station had also informed the Serian Fire and Rescue Station not to continue their journey.
“Why refer to Serian Fire Station when Bau Fire Station is located less than one kilometre from the scene?
“Although this fire was under control, if situations like this are not properly addressed, it can lead to delays in emergency assistance and may result in more adverse effects,” he said.
Mordi pointed out that such incidents are not new, citing an example of a family involved in a fire in Taman Hungab, Penampang, Sabah in September last year, who had also reported the same issue.
“The problems encountered in that incident were closely related to the way of communication between the complainant and the operator who took a long time with a series of questions,” he said.