A firefighting demonstration highlights the importance of swift first response in island communities where emergency crews need more time to arrive. (Bernama pic)TUMPAT: In the event of an emergency, calling the fire department usually means help is only minutes away.But for residents of Pulau Teluk Renjuna and a dozen neighbouring islands along the Kelantan River, firefighters must first load pumps and hoses onto boats before they can even begin the journey across the water.By then, it could already be too late. "The first three minutes after a fire breaks out determine whether a wooden house can still be saved," said Kelantan fire and rescue department (JBPM) director Farhan Sufyan Borhan.The islands, home to more than 3,000 people, are dotted with traditional wooden houses and can only be reached by boat from Kuala Besar in Kota Bharu or Pengkalan Kok Majid in Tumpat, with journeys taking between five and 20 minutes.Those logistical challenges have prompted the department to establish Kelantan's first community fire point in Teluk Renjuna, where firefighting equipment is stored for trained villagers to use while waiting for firefighters to arrive.Unlike volunteer brigades, which operate their own fire engines, the community fire point equips residents with the tools and training to carry out an immediate first response.For Farhan, empowering villagers to act quickly can make all the difference.Residents undergoing firefighting training to help contain blazes within the critical first few minutes.
(Bernama pic)"Preparing our waterborne assets alone can take up to an hour before an operation can commence. By the time we arrive, some houses may already have been completely destroyed because the fire spreads so quickly," he explained.The facility began operating earlier this month. About 600 residents of Teluk Renjuna - along with neighbouring island communities - now have access to firefighting equipment and practical training.During a week-long programme, volunteers learnt to operate pumps and extinguishers, identify electrical hazards, and carry out basic water rescue techniques.The goal, Farhan said, is not to extinguish a major blaze on their own but to prevent it from spreading until firefighters take over.The training has also changed the way many residents think about emergencies."I used to think all we had to do was call the fire department and wait…
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