KUANTAN: A hybrid Fire and Rescue Station will be built near the Tioman Island Marine Park to enable the team to operate both on land and at sea, making it the first fire station in the country to implement such a concept.
Pahang Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Dr Wan Mohamad Zaidi Wan Isa said the hybrid concept is being adopted to overcome the challenges faced by firefighters when responding to emergencies in areas of the island that lack land access.
"For example, in Kampung Genting, Kampung Sanglang and Kampung Paya on Tioman Island, all access is via sea routes, while fire engines can only be used in Kampung Tekek.
"To address this, a special boat will be stationed near the Tioman Island Fire Station to allow personnel to quickly reach emergency locations,” he told a press conference after the Volunteer Firefighters Grant Handover Ceremony at the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department headquarters here on Monday (Aug 26).
Wan Mohamad Zaidi said the RM8mil fire station is expected to accommodate approximately 30 staff members, operating in three shifts.
"In addition to the Tioman Island Fire Station, funds have also been allocated for constructing the Benta Fire Station in Lipis, worth RM4mil. Both projects will commence as soon as the land acquisition issues with the state government are resolved.
"The government has also set aside RM5mil for upgrading the Bentong Fire Station, and there are plans to build another fire station in Penor, following the decree of Sultan of Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah after he visited fire victims in Kempadang recently,” he said.
Previously, Al-Sultan Abdullah ordered the construction of a fire station in Tanjung Lumpur to expedite response times in emergencies in the area and its surroundings, instead of relying on the services of the Kuantan and Taman Tas Fire and Rescue Stations.
Meanwhile, Wan Mohamad Zaidi urged the public to be more vigilant and cautious, as there has been a sharp rise in infrastructure fires in Kuantan from June to August this year.
According to statistics, there were four cases recorded in June, seven in July and 17 in August. Investigations revealed that these fires were caused by faulty electrical wiring, electrical appliances and cooking gas.
"The community must stay vigilant and regularly check their equipment to prevent disasters. Although there have been no casualties, these incidents have caused significant property loss,” he added. - Bernama
