PETALING JAYA, July 2 — Firefighters will be on standby at 17 accident prone areas along major highways to ensure fast response to emergency calls throughout the Hari Raya break.
The operation, codenamed “Ops Raya”, was launched on Wednesday and will see 374 personnel on standby along the North-South Expressway, Karak Highway and the East Coast Expressway.
Among the hotspots are the Juru toll plaza, and the areas near the Taiping PLUS office, Genting Sempah R&R and the Ajil R&R.
Fire and Rescue assistant director-general of operations Zurkarnain Mohd Kassim said the department, with police and personnel from the Health Ministry, will be based near the areas.
He said the locations were singled out based on accident statistics recorded in previous years.
“One team, consisting of 11 personnel, will be at the nearest fire station while another team will be on standby near the hotspot. The aim is to respond to emergency calls within 10 minutes,” said Zurkarnain.
He said personnel from the station or based at other locations would also be deployed to the scene if required.
Zurkarnain urged the public to be patient and avoid using the emergency lane to allow rescue personnel to get to accident sites quickly.
“It is a challenge, especially during the festive season. Motorists can be impatient as they use the emergency lane and sometimes refuse to give way.
“We urge motorist not to use the emergency lane. Rescuing victims is our priority.”
He said the department was involved in rescue operations involving 212 accidents along the highways during a similar operation from July 10-24 last year.
He added most of the accidents were due to drivers losing control of their vehicles as they were either tired or were speeding.
“There were drivers who dozed off at the wheel as they did not get enough rest and were in a rush to head back to their hometown. Some tried to squeeze between other vehicles while driving fast, endangering their lives and that of other motorists.”
He advised those heading out of town during the Aidilfitri break to ensure their vehicles are in good condition and to adhere to traffic rules.
Zurkarnain said only 20 per cent of his personnel would be allowed to go on leave throughout the festive season.
