GEORGE TOWN: Firefighters from the Perak Road Fire and Rescue Department gave young spectators an adrenaline-fuelled high-angle rescue demonstration as part of their National Day celebration.
Dressed in full gear, they performed a series of high-altitude descent techniques from the station’s 15m-tall hose tower, including technical abseiling, standard rappelling, face-down Australian rappelling and inverted “Spider” rappelling.
The demonstration drew cheers from children while highlighting the importance of fire safety and emergency preparedness ahead of National Day celebrations.
Senior Fire Officer I Muhammad Jusoh said independence was not merely about celebrating freedom but protecting lives and preventing avoidable tragedies.
“Independence means being free not just from foreign rule, but from negligence that invites tragedy.
“National Day is not merely chanting slogans. It must be translated into responsible action, discipline and the realisation that every life is a sacred trust,” he said.
Muhammad, who is the station’s deputy chief, said while past generations fought colonial rule, today’s challenges included carelessness, climate risks and rapidly changing urban hazards.
Drawing from his operational experience, he said fires could affect anyone regardless of age, status, race or religion.
Many fires can be prevented by addressing what he described as the “3L” – “lupa” (forgetfulness), “lalai” (negligence) and “leka” (complacency).
These included leaving cooking unattended, failing to switch off electrical appliances, ignoring basic safety procedures and assuming disasters would not happen to oneself.
Muhammad urged the public to replace the 3L mindset with three values – “peka” (alertness), “bersedia” (preparedness) and “bertindak” (action).
“Safety is never an accident. It is the result of deliberate planning, practice and consistent execution,” he said.
He highlighted the department’s PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Action) approach and its 2P & 2R framework covering prevention, enforcement, response and recovery.
Muhammad said safety education should be practised by individuals, schools, workplaces and places of worship rather than left solely to firefighters.
“Safety does not belong to firefighters alone. It is the duty of every citizen.
“If every household has an emergency evacuation plan, a smoke detector and people trained to use a fire extinguisher, we can drastically reduce the loss of lives and property,” he said.
Senior Fire Officer II Mohd Asrul Naim Abidin was also present.
