Fire dept to get 12 more tracker dogs - DG

SEPANG - The Fire and Rescue Department’s request to add 12 more tracker dogs in its stable to strengthen operational capabilities has been approved.

Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) director-general Datuk Abdul Wahab Mat Yasin said the reinforcements will help the department in various search and rescue (SAR) operations.

"Of late, JBPM has been involved in many SAR operations... such as the Batang Kali landslide that ran for nine days and then the (earthquake) operation in Turkey "Based on our findings, there are tracker dogs that we need to replace. We also need reinforcements. The application was made even before the Batang Kali tragedy and Insya-Allah, this year, we will add 12 more dogs,” he said.

Abdul Wahab was speaking to reporters after welcoming home JBPM personnel and other members from the second group of Malaysian rescuers involved in the SAR operations in Turkey following the deadly earthquake there.

JBPM currently has 36 tracking dogs with two of them, Denti and Frankie, being involved in SAR operations in Turkey Abdul Wahab, who expressed pride in the success of all mission members, said the national SAR team had made history by being involved in operations with extreme weather that reached negative 12 degrees Celsius.

"On behalf of JBPM, I am very proud of the success of the national mission with the involvement of firefighters and other agencies such as SMART (Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team) and APM (Civil Defence Force).

"This mission was very successful where we managed to find five survivors and 47 victims who were killed who were successfully removed from the rubble,” he said, adding that the department planned to reward them with bravery medals in recognition of their service and sacrifice.

On Feb 6, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Ritcher scale hit southern Turkey and Syria, and as of last Tuesday, it was reported that the death toll had reached more than 47,000 people.

Malaysia on Feb 6 sent its first batch, comprising SMART team members, to Turkey as a sign of solidarity for the affected victims, while the second team made up of SMART and JBPM members, was sent on Feb 8. -BERNAMA