Pahang Firemen Create First 'Floating Rescue Trailer' In Malaysia

MARAN (Pahang, Malaysia) Jan 31 (Bernama) -- The Pahang Fire and Rescue Department has created a multi-function boat called the 'Floating Rescue Trailer', a first of its kind in the country which can be used on water and land to carry out rescue operations. Its director Abdul Wahab Mat Yasin said the boat - still in its prototype stage - was the result of innovation by personnel from the Mentakab Fire Station, near Temerloh, led by their chief Mohd Kamarudin Mohd Saufi. He said the boat would be able to overcome the problem of navigating through inundated roads during flood rescue operations. "The work to create the prototype of the floating rescue trailer began in January last year, and we started using it when rescuing flood victims in Kampung Sungai Buloh in Mentakab recently," he said after accompanying the Regent of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on his visit to hand out contributions to 234 flood victims at the relief centre near here Monday. Tengku Puan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who was also present, cooked dinner for all the flood victims. Abdul Wahab said among the advantages of the floating rescue trailer is that it can travel on land for about 15 kilometres, compared to just one kilometre for other amphibious vehicles, and it is also capable of carrying logistics of up to 450kg at a time, while on the road. "In addition, it is capable of transporting flood victims far from their homes to the edge of the water with only two personnel, thus saving on manpower, and the cost to build it is reasonable, with a rough estimate of RM20,000 (US$4517)," he said. He said the department was now planning to patent the invention for commercialisation, in efforts to increase the production of such boats which were more efficient and effective in carrying out rescue work during floods. -- BERNAMA