By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, July 8: Higher learning or training institutes in Sarawak are urged to offer Fire Safety Engineering programmes.
Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia (Bomba) director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid who reckons it is a high in demand subject said this is based on the number of people who applied to be fire safety officers.
“We should the build human capital and produce professionals in the field of fire prevention, protection and investigation, equipped with expertise such as fire equipment manufacturing, fire services and risk analysis.
“Perhaps Polytechnic Kuching can look into this. Looking at the number of people applying to be fire safety officers, we can tell that this subject is high in demand. Safety engineering programs can offer students the opportunity to study and work in different places around the world as well,” Mohammad Hamdan said after the fire hydrant Geographic Information System (GIS) app handing over ceremony by Polytechnic Kuching to Bomba Sarawak today.
Since Polytechnic Kuching had successfully developed the fire hydrant GIS app, he hoped that they will continue to collaborate in other issues in the future.
Giving some examples, he said Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) are among those in Peninsular Malaysia offering the said course, covering topics such as fire behaviour, materials behaviour in fire protection technology, fire disaster management and structural design for safety.
Meanwhile, primary school teacher Stevens Gadis Nyua, from Selaut in Sarikei received a Bomba Hero certificate from Mohammad Hamdan.
Stevens, 58, together with Caleb Engka Kudang, 28, were recognised by the department for their fast response during a fire incident on June 1.
The duo, who each quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher upon seeing one of the rooms of their longhouse on fire managed to prevent their residence from being razed to ashes.
Stevens, who is also the longhouse chief, said he had attended a basic training on firefighting procedures organised by Bomba Bintangor which was held at his school.
Caleb, who is working as a seaman had also attended a basic course on firefighting at his work place. — DayakDaily
