From left to right: Reason Justin, Jimmy Alexius, Ridwan Bin Mohd Taib, Simon Chin Yau Ming.
KOTA KINABALU (May 27): The Fire and Rescue Department’s (Bomba) elite Mount Kinabalu search and rescue team was invited by the International Search and Rescue Alliance (ISARA) to participate in the 4th Above Cloud Mountain Rope Rescue Technology Exchange Summit. The event took place from May 21 to 25 in Yunnan, China, spanning the cities of Shangri-La in Tibet autonomous city and Zhaotong City. Participating countries included Malaysia, Thailand, France, Laos and organiser China.
The Bomba Malaysia team, led by Ridwan Bin Mohd Taib, chief of Ranau fire station, includes members Jimmy Alexius and Reason Justin. They joined other international search and rescue teams and experts to exchange the latest technology and methods in mountain rescue operations.
The summit marks a historic moment as China, for the first time, allowed foreign personnel to enter its National Fire and Rescue Training Centre.
ISARA chief Peter Yeh Tai Hsin, who also serves as the director of China Disaster Rescue, highlighted the significance of this event in enhancing global search and rescue cooperation.
“This summit is very important in the history of China search and rescue,” Yeh stated. “It signifies a new era of international collaboration and knowledge sharing in disaster management.”
Simon Chin Yau Ming, Secretary General of ISARA Asia and a Sabahan himself, emphasized the importance of the event for Bomba Malaysia, particularly for Bomba Sabah. “Mountain rescue is a technical operation that requires advanced systems and skills to ensure the safety of both the rescue teams and the individuals being rescued. This summit is a crucial opportunity for our team to learn and grow.”
The exposure of Bomba Sabah, especially the Mount Kinabalu Search and Rescue Team (MOSAR Sabah), has greatly improved their knowledge in rope rescue and other technical rescue matters. Simon also mentioned that with the help of the Chinese government, Bomba Sabah will benefit from future cooperation in training with the Yunnan Fire Rescue Corps at the world’s biggest and most advanced search and rescue training centre.
“With such international exposure, we can better ensure the safety of climbers from various countries who come to Sabah for Mount Kinabalu climbing activities and this will significantly boost the confidence of tourists,” added Simon.
The participation of Bomba Malaysia in this prestigious summit underscores the team’s commitment to excellence in search and rescue operations and their dedication to international collaboration in improving rescue technologies and methodologies.