PUTRAJAYA– The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is requesting an increase of 3,400 personnel as one of the measures to improve its services to the people.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said the increase was part of the department’s restructuring measures that would be presented to the Local Government Development Ministry.
“We will present to the government the three phases involved which are the critical and important aspects as the first phase, secondly, the strategic operations and thirdly, strengthening including the modernisation of services,” he told reporters after the 2023 JBPM Annual Parade at its headquarters here today.
He said the recruitment was also based on 22 factors and criteria such as the population which determines whether the strength of the members was sufficient.
Hamdan said his department will add 12 more sniffer dogs after the live assets displayed good performance in the search and rescue (SAR) operation of the landslide tragedy at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali, last December.
He said the purchase had been approved by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) to add to the existing 36 dogs.
According to him, the cost for a detection dog and handling package can reach RM400,000.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency