08 May 2021 – House fires are actually a common and devastating incident that occurs in Malaysia every year. In Sarawak, major fire cases reported happened in the rural and remote areas where logistics proved to be a challenge. Majority of the longhouses in the rural areas that caught fire are traditional longhouses that have existed for centuries and should be considered as Sarawak’s heritage.
Measures should be taken to prevent fire damages through consistent education and awareness on the importance of fire prevention and safety among the longhouse communities in the rural areas via educational institutions and community engagements by related government agencies. As Malaysia is advancing into the Industrial Revolution 4.0, or Industry 4.0, “smart” solutions should be integrated into the fire fighting effort in the rural areas by exploring and combining new ideas not just from previous experience in combating fire, but also from parties with specialties that may be explored and adopted through collaboration.
The webinar on “Challenges in Managing Fire Safety in Rural Areas of Sarawak” is organised by UCTS in collaboration with Fire and Rescue Department (FRD) Sarawak and Tsinghua University, with the hope to bridge the gap in the awareness of fire safety within the community, relevant authorities and agencies, as well as the various parties who are directly and indirectly involved in the matter.
