Johor Bomba chief: CMS can minimise losses during fire

It has been reported that some two hundred business premises in the state refused to install the fire alert central monitoring system (CMS) even though these premises have been issued with certificate of fitness (CF).

The state Fire and Rescue department director, Ab Ghani Daud said that these business premises owners refused to install the CMS because they don’t realize its importance when comes to reducing fire related casualties and loss of properties.

He explained by saying that CMS acts similarly to an alarm system where in the event of a fire outbreak in the premises within seconds the system will transmit a signal directly to the nearest Fire and Rescue station via a wired telephone line.

Therefore, fast action can be taken by the Fire and Rescue department to be at the scene at the shortest possible time to attend to the fire emergency.

This will not only help in reducing losses to the premises but more importantly to minimize the risk of losing human lives, he said.

In the absence of a CMS in the premises, the occupants will try to extinguish the fire by themselves and if that fails, then only they call in the Fire and Rescue department, said Ab Ghani who was speaking to reporters at the state ERT Enhancement Training 2011 at Plaza Angsana, in Tampoi yesterday.

Also present at the function is the deputy director of the state Fire and Rescue department, Sukor Sanu Hashim and the chairperson of ERT Enhancement Training, Anwar Abu Bakar.

Ab Ghani continued by saying that many of these premises owners gave the reason for not installing the CMS in saying that their premises do not have land-line telephone service and others said that they cannot afford the high cost of installing the system.

The cost of installing the CMS is RM2,500 and a monthly monitoring fee of RM150.

He said, premises owners should not take the matter lightly without taking into due consideration of the consequences should there be an unfortunate major fire outbreak in their premises.

He ended by advising all premises owners to be mindful and more open-minded to embrace measures that are recommended by the government especially if it is for the good for all.