The firemen testing their endurance by carrying a 25-litre barrel of water tied around a stretcher.
A TEAM of firemen has been training almost daily at Penang Botanic Gardens, and park visitors witnessed how gruelling it was for the firemen to stay mentally and physically primed for rescue work.
Wearing steel-toe boots, fire-retardant jackets, pants and helmets and even oxygen tanks, the six firemen trekked and jogged around the gardens’ 2km circuit several times.
As they hiked, some hefted heavy fire hoses, fire extinguishers weighing over 10kg each or 25-litre barrels of water.
A pair of them even strapped a barrel of water onto a stretcher and hoisted it on their shoulders as they marched along with the morning joggers and walkers.
The firemen repeatedly unfurled their fire hoses and then rolled them back up again under the hot sun.
Bagan Jermal Fire Station senior fire officer II Kartikh Katharasan said, “When we train, we train to exhaustion. It is the only way to always be able to push ourselves to the maximum when we have to rescue people during disasters.”
Kartikh was training the six firemen at Penang Botanic Gardens to get them ready for the Firefighters Combat Challenge Malaysia, a multi-stage competition for firefighters nationwide that began on March 1.
“We purposely train at different locations to become used to unfamiliar surroundings,” he added.
Penang Fire and Rescue Services Department director Saadon Mokhtar said his department would select the top firemen in the state to compete in the challenge finals in May.
“The challenge on March 1 was only among firemen from the 20 stations in Penang. From this, we will choose our best to represent Penang,” he said.
Saadon said all firemen train daily from 8am at their fire stations.
“It’s a necessity because we have to be in top mental and physical condition at all times.
“Even at night, while on standby, firemen have to attend classes, workshops and discussions,” he said.
The firemen testing their endurance by carrying a 25-litre barrel of water tied around a stretcher.
The exhaustion is evident on this fireman’s face as he hauls two fire hoses on a wheelbarrow.
