KUANTAN, Nov 1 — The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has given priority to officers and personnel serving in flood-prone states to receive the Covid-19 vaccine booster dose.

Its director-general Datuk Seri Mohammad Hamdan Wahid said the booster dose is additional protection for JBPM personnel who are involved in rescue operations and evacuation of victims.

"Although our staff has received two doses of vaccine, the risk of infection remains as in carrying out rescue operations, we never know the health status of victims since our priority is the safety of every life.

"Some older personnel may have to be activated for emergencies and exposed to the risk of infection even though they are fully vaccinated so we have to protect them too,” he said.

Mohammad Hamdan said this during a media conference after officiating the 2020 Outstanding Service Award (APC) and JBPM Pahang 30 Years of Service Certificate at Pahang JBPM headquarters here today.

Also present were Pahang JBPM director Wan Mohammad Zaidi Wan Isa and his deputy Mohd Zahar Abdullah, whereby a total of 75 officers and personnel in the state were awarded the APC while 25 more received the 30 Years Service Certificate with JBPM Pahang.

"There is no obstacle in getting the booster because all our officers and staff have passed the six months period after the second vaccination dose as set by the Ministry of Health (MOH),” he said.

Mohammad Hamdan said so far, the total number of JBPM staff who tested positive for Covid-19 since the pandemic began last year was more than 1,400 with 83 being new cases confirmed as of today.

In other developments, Mohammad Hamdan said a water rescue operations training complex specialising in low-head dam and swift water rescue at the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Academy in Wakaf Tapai, Terengganu is expected to be completed next year.

The complex, which is one of the largest in South-east Asia, is one of the improvements instituted following the tragedy of six firefighters drowning while rescuing a teenager at Taman Putra Perdana Mine in Puchong, Selangor in October 2018.

"The findings of the investigation committee from that incident showed there were training aspects to be improved and new equipment needed. From there, we sent officers to the United Kingdom to learn to be operations specialists at low-head dam and swift water rescue to return as qualified trainers here.

"Training facilities were also upscaled to ensure higher competence in personnel who need continuous training to face new situations with lives at risk or find ourselves in dire straits if there were no ongoing training,” he said. — Bernama