Amran (right) with other firefighters during a rescue operation.
Among the many split-second decisions made during his career, one moment remains etched in the memory of Sabah Fire and Rescue Department Senior Fire Officer II Amran Lawadin.
This was when he responded to a distress call from a construction site in Kampung Sunsuron in Tambunan, about 15km away.
It was 2006 and he was on duty with several other firefighters at the Tambunan fire station in Sabah.
Little did he know, this incident would test the team’s courage and resolve.
“When we arrived, there was a sea of people at the scene.
“Police and paramedics were already on-site,” Amran recalled.
A worker in his 20s had been warming up a drilling machine when he apparently slipped and fell into an uncovered hole that had been dug earlier.
The drilling machine was going to be used to instal pillars for a retaining wall being built at a landslide-prone area.
Though the exact depth of the hole was unknown, the worker’s cries for help confirmed he was still alive.
But as water started to fill the hole, time began to run out and all eyes turned towards the firefighters.
It was only Amran’s fourth year on the job but he was chosen to descend into the hole because of his agility and prior training.
Also, he was already a fire instructor at the time.
With limited equipment and no clear idea of what laid ahead, Amran donned a safety harness and began the perilous descent.
The hole was so small that Amran couldn’t wear his oxygen mask.
A senior firefighter managed the operation from above.
“As I descended, the darkness and wet walls made it clear that the soil was unstable, and that it could collapse at any time.
“The hole became narrower as I went down and although the descent took only minutes, it felt like an eternity,” Amran recounted.
Using his torchlight, he located the victim curled up like a pangolin at the bottom.
“I called out to him because I did not want to fall on him.
“After reaching the lowest point, I stood to stretch my legs for a while,” said Amran.
Right then, he felt a touch on his leg. What the worker said to him then is still fresh in Amran’s mind.
“He was crying and telling me not to leave him, saying that he did not want to die in that hole.
“His words touched my heart and I teared up.
“I told him that we would leave the hole alive together because I didn’t want my two children to lose their father nor my wife to become a widow,” the firefighter said.
Despite the victim’s fractured hip, Amran managed to secure him and signal for help.
They began the slow and nerve-wracking ascent, aided by a tractor.
“I had to secure the loop on his left side, leaving the right leg hanging.
“I remember telling him to endure the pain a little.
“As we were pulled up, the rush of air against my face was the most incredible feeling.
“When we finally emerged, I just laid on the ground, overwhelmed by relief. We saved a life that day,” he added.
Later, the depth of the hole was measured.
“I had thought it was about 3m to 6m deep but it was 22.8m,” said the firefighter.
“I was traumatised for a week and tried to forget what had happened.
“I questioned my actions. If I had known, maybe I would have been more prepared.
“In times of danger, the faces of your loved ones start flashing before your eyes.
“But at the time I had to be mentally strong for both my family as well as the victim’s,” he said.
Besides a fractured hip, the worker did not have any other serious injury.
Although this incident took place 18 years ago, for Amran it feels like it happened just yesterday.
He did not keep in touch with the young man he saved but the memory of that day has stayed with him.
“That incident made me stronger. It reinforced the idea that there is no such thing as a one-man show in the fire department.
“We aren’t superheroes; our goal is to save lives, not seek praise,” said Amran, now 47.
He is determined to still give his best in every situation.
“It is my responsibility to fulfil my duties even if it puts my own life at risk.
“I tried to become a policeman or join the army, but I wasn’t accepted.
“Finally, I became a firefighter. I believe God placed me here to save lives,” he said.
Witnessing first-hand the loss of life has been unforgettable, Amran said.
“For me, every job is a way to help others and ease their pain.
“Facing situations where survival seems impossible is part and parcel of my work,” said the father of four.
Though Amran is often seen as a hero, he doesn’t feel like one.
He is content to continue serving with humility and dedication for as long as he can.
