Dept: Fireman who was in temple fracas still in trauma

NILAI: A fireman involved in an operation during the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple fracas last week is still traumatised by the rioting.

Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Muhammad Hamdan Wahid said the firefighter, who was behind the wheels of the Emergency Medical and Rescue Services (EMRS) unit, was still in a state of fear and anxiety.

“During our meeting with the eight firefighters from the Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Station involved, there was anxiety and symptoms of trauma, especially for the driver of the EMRS vehicle,” he said.

“When we asked him questions, he would stare at us blankly,” said Muhammad Hamdan.

“And his answers seem to be jumbled up. (He also feels) guilty for causing (in his mind) his colleague Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim to sustain serious injuries,” he told reporters after the “Bicara Tokoh: Achieving High Performance Fire Organisation: The X Factors” at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia here yesterday.

He said although all firefighters' leave were frozen in preparation for the monsoon season, personnel who were still traumatised were exempted from work.

Their conditions depended on the assessment of their fire station’s chief, he added. — Bernama