Smart sharpens flood-rescue skills ahead of northeast monsoon

SEPANG: The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) recently conducted a five-day flood-rescue exercise to sharpen their skills ahead of the northeast monsoon season. The training, held from October 19 to 23 at the Pantai Bagan Lalang General Operations Force post, involved 136 Smart and National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) personnel.

Commanding Officer Abdul Manaf Che Isa explained that the exercise aimed to enhance operational readiness, boat handling, and safe evacuations. The team practiced various tasks, including boat handling, surface rescue equipment usage, and underwater rescue equipment operations. They also learned to handle technical issues during rescue operations, such as boat malfunctions.

The daily schedule included boat and engine maintenance, defensive swimming, self-rescue and capsize recovery, tactical navigation, docking, boat pickup, triage, and CPR on board. The training took place both during the day and at night to simulate different operational conditions. After the exercise, underwater rescue training will be conducted at a suitable location.

Manaf emphasized that Smart serves as a support force for frontliners, with Nadma assigning officers to zones before floods arrive. Smart conducts annual rescue operations in conjunction with other agencies, but the main constraint is victims refusing to move early despite evacuation warnings. The team actively engages with every household to advise residents to move to relief centers once flood warnings are issued.

Manaf urged the public to prepare early by securing essential documents and medication for those requiring follow-up treatment.