BATU KAWAN: The Housing and Local Government Ministry plans to create a fire and rescue station in areas with a population density of 10,000.

This would make the response time quicker, its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin said.

The plan was to build a Class D category fire station (that catered to basic fire and rescue operations) nationwide in such areas, she said.

“If the proposal is to be implemented, we will place officers at each station,” she told reporters after visiting the Penang branch of the Fire and Rescue Department here yesterday.

Also present were Fire and Rescue Department director-general Mohammad Hamdan Wahid and Penang Fire director Saadon Moktar.

Commenting on critical allowances for 14,700 personnel and officers, Zuraida said the ministry would come out with a decision after discussions on the matter with the Public Service Department (PSD).

She said that she believed the RM250 critical allowance would be given as the department had presented a working paper to get the approval of several government agencies. It is awaiting the decision of the PSD.

“I am fighting for the allowance for firefighters and officers and hope they will be patient as there has been a delay following the change in government,” added Zuraida.

She said the allowance was necessary considering the great risks that firefighters face.

Zuraida also encouraged the spirit of volunteerism in the community by urging them to set up a volunteer firefighting squad.

“The volunteer firefighting squad can expedite the process and response by carrying out early rescue measures, while waiting for firefighters to arrive,” she said. — Bernama