FOR THE ALBUM: The trainees in a photo call at Belawai Beach. Nor Hisham is at 12th left back row.
BELAWAI: State director of Fire and Rescue Department, Nor Hisham Mohammad, hopes to have 30 officers from Sarawak enlisted in the Special Tactical Operation and Rescue Malaysia (STORM) next year.
He told reporters this after the close of Borneo-level STORM Survival Training at Belawai Beach here Wednesday, which involved 27 trainees from Sabah and Sarawak.
“STORM started two years ago in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor before spreading to other states. It was only recently that we have one in Sabah and Sarawak. “So, what you see now is the first Borneo team, and we are lucky that Sarawak is selected for this first training session,” he said.
He said that for the first group, about 50 officers from Sarawak were called for the first stage of selection through physical and mental tests.
“However, only 10 made it, so it’s a tough selection,” he said.
He said the team was an elite group with mental and physical fitness and trained for tougher rescue missions. The training focused on tactical skills, rescue technique and survival skills.
“Learning to be fit physically and mentally is crucial during the survival training; even in depressing and pressuring time, these officers would still follow orders until their mission is completed,” he said, adding there was a similar team before called MUST (Multi Skill) team.
However, most of the MUST officers are already old and not very active in giving training anymore.
On STORM, he said there was no age limits to those who wanted to join as long as the officers were fit.
“They are like other officers or fire fighters, only that they would be called for rescue work elsewhere – within Malaysia or overseas.”
He reminded the trainees that they should be role models to other officers in their respective stations.