ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department of Kedah has distributed ten aluminium boats to community fire brigades across the state ahead of the upcoming monsoon season.
Kedah JBPM director Awang Hidzel Awang Bujang confirmed his team will provide comprehensive training on boat handling and safety equipment usage.
“This training will enable them to be prepared should there be floods,“ he told reporters after the handover ceremony at Sungai Kedah.
Awang Hidzel clarified that community brigades would assist professional responders rather than replace them during emergency operations.
“We have distributed the boats as an early measure to face the floods that usually occur during the monsoon season from October onwards,“ he explained.
The department identified one hundred fourteen flood-prone areas across eleven districts requiring special preparedness measures.
Baling district contains the highest number of vulnerable locations followed by Langkawi, Kuala Muda, and Bandar Baharu.
Kulim, Sik, Pendang, and Kota Setar complete the list of districts with significant flood risk areas.
Awang Hidzel expressed hope that recipients would maintain the boats properly for optimal emergency readiness.
Each aluminium boat comes equipped with essential safety jackets for crew and rescue operations.
The handover ceremony coincided with JBPM’s Basic Boat Handling and Testing Course for community responders.
This initiative strengthens community-level disaster response capabilities before professional help arrives. – Bernama