LABUAN: Swift action by the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department helped salvage properties worth about RM25 billion from going up in smoke or damaged by floods nationwide last year.
In 2013, the department salvaged properties worth about RM12 billion.
Despite its outstanding achievement, fires caused an estimated damage totalling RM2.8 billion last year as compared to RM1.9 billion in 2013.
The department’s deputy director-general, Datuk Amer Yusof said it was constantly identifying weaknesses for improvement to ensure rescue operations were executed smoothly.
He said a total of 99,830 calls on fire were made last year - the highest ever recorded - as compared to 68,280 in 2013. Selangor recorded the highest number of emergency calls at 15,628 last year, while Labuan recorded 608.
He said this at a press conference after launching the Business Licensing Electronic Support System and the presentation of excellence service awards to Labuan Fire and Rescue Department personnel here today.
For Labuan, it was estimated that RM37 million in properties were salvaged as compared to RM123 million in 2013. Losses were recorded to the tune of RM1.4 million last year while in 2013, it was RM690,800. – BERNAMA