00:02The Year of the Fire Horse is a symbol of hard work, energy and meritorious service.
00:08And for Malaysia's volunteer firefighters, those words ring especially true,
00:13not just during Chinese New Year, but through every festive season on the calendar.
00:18In Kuala Lumpur, the Kepong and Batu Volunteer Fire Department,
00:23known as PBSKB, is among the teams on standby.
00:27Based at the Jinjang Fire and Rescue Station, the department's 126 members respond to fires, road accidents, firework mishaps and
00:38medical emergencies.
00:39I was being motivated by a strong sense to try to help people who need us, who need or who
00:49stress.
00:51So this is one of the things I can say that this is our responsibility to take care of the
00:59community to saving their life and properties.
01:04For Lok, who has been volunteering for two decades alongside running an automotive business,
01:09being on duty during Chinese New Year is now second nature, though it wasn't always easy.
01:16The last time we were talking about 20 years ago, we were talking about the Chinese New Year festival.
01:21From day one until day 15, we all stand by in the fire station.
01:25Are you also in the reunion also already on standby, right?
01:28Stand by, all on standby. Last time when we was young.
01:34Now everybody also got family already, so we take turns.
01:39Fellow veteran Ong Chun Meng has also given two decades to the cause.
01:43He said his son and daughter are trained to provide first aid,
01:47and he is hopeful one of them will join him as a fellow volunteer firefighter.
01:51A quiet but decisive presence, the 56-year-old businessman says his motivation is simple.
02:01The next generation is also stepping up.
02:0427-year-old Tahir Yusuf is the team's latest recruit,
02:08a data analyst currently six months into his training.
02:13I come from a very laid-back job. My thing is just laptop.
02:17I just get a laptop and I'm good.
02:19But here it's completely different. It's all physical.
02:22You have to be physically fit first, and then you're able to respond.
02:25So I have to add a whole physical training in my daily life to actually be physically fit first,
02:34before they even allowed me to enter because I'm not able to pull the hose right.
02:39Not able to, because the pressure is a lot.
02:41Pressure is a lot. Just holding the water is a task by itself.
02:45I still don't believe the amount of fitness that they have, the senior members.
02:51Yeah.
02:53And just one handshake tells you how strong they are.
02:57So it's required.
02:59You know, we always see Bomber Malaysian posing and they're like,
03:02I was like, wow, why is so much required?
03:04Actually it's required.
03:05The equipment, it's all physical.
03:09What we have learned, what we have learned is to help the community again.
03:15Down in Serikambangan, the Taman Shri Serdang Volunteer Fire Department, PBS Serdang,
03:22takes a thoughtful approach to festive duty.
03:25The multiracial team runs a rotation system,
03:28ensuring volunteers can observe their own celebrations while others cover the shift.
03:33For Chinese New Year, I didn't walk.
03:38Okay.
03:38Then I was standby for the other festival like the Vavari.
03:42Okay.
03:42Yeah, yeah.
03:43We help each other. We cover each other, yeah.
03:46A former state Taekwondo representative, Chai thought he was fit.
03:50Until he joined PBS Serdang and discovered just how physically demanding the role really is.
03:57The fitness in Bomber is different than fitness in athletes.
04:02Yeah.
04:03Then for Bomber, we are not just fitness for running.
04:08We need to carry the horse, and we need to carry the horse up and down.
04:15It's very different like training, you just run it up and down.
04:19Yeah, we got it.
04:20Then you need to wear the firefighting jacket.
04:24Yes, yes, yes.
04:24It's also very heavy.
04:26Okay.
04:27Around, I think, 50 or 20 kilos.
04:31Yeah, yeah.
04:32With the BA.
04:33Oh, okay.
04:33With the BA together, yeah.
04:35Oh, okay.
04:35With the BA together, yeah.
04:36With your personal type, I will go to jogging.
04:39Okay.
04:40Or breastwork and go to the gym to make sure I'm fit.
04:46Among the team's 52 members, four are women.
04:51Paramedic Siti Nurfitriya Madh Sahid, known as Fifi, has been volunteering for a year,
04:56bringing her medical expertise to the field.
05:25And when it comes to training, there are no concessions,
05:29made for gender.
05:55For 22-year-old Jaganraj Vijayan,
05:58the path to volunteering was deeply personal.
06:01His own home caught fire in 2020
06:04and watching professional firefighters respond that day
06:07changed his life.
06:33His most unforgettable mission so far, the Putra Heights Explosion,
06:37where professional and volunteer firefighters worked side by side in the chaos.
06:43Sampai cerita tengokkan anak itu memang teruk.
06:45Banyak kereta, banyak rumah, banyak kucing, anjing, semua dah kena.
06:51So, kita bolehlah, kita nak boleh bantu, kita bantu lah.
06:56Keluarkan anak anjing, kucing, bagi balik owner.
06:59Oh, ok.
07:00Ya, memang tempat itu memang tak ada zone.
07:02Asyik.
07:03Walaupun kita berdugas tanpa gaji,
07:05Ok.
07:05Saya rasa bangga.
07:06Ok.
07:07Walaupun tak ada duit,
07:09Ok.
07:09Saya dapat bantu orang.
07:10Ok.
07:10Nah, berapa juta pun memang tak boleh beli yang experience macam ini.
07:14Terima kasih.
07:15Terima kasih.
07:22Terima kasih.
07:31Terima kasih.
07:31You
Comments