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Earthquake SAR operation in Mount
Kinabalu, Ranau, Sabah, Malaysia
Natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, and forest fires are among the tragedies
that often threaten human lives and destroy property as well as paralyze social, economic
and community daily activities. In Malaysia, the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia
(FRDM) is an agency that is a major milestone in national rescue and was established
under the Malaysian Fire Services Act 1988 (Act 341).
RDM is a federal government
F agency with high capabilities
and expertise, having the
cutting-edge rescue and fire-fighting
equipment besides having special forces
like Emergency Medical Response
Service (EMRS), Special Tactical
Operation Team Malaysia (STORM) and
Hazardous Material(HAZMAT) Team
specially trained in operations to address
catastrophic or large-scale incidents,
high-risk and complex incidents including
natural disaster such as the recent Mount
J. Jupiri Bin Apou Kinabalu Earthquake in Ranau, Sabah.
FDRM also prioritizes high-level of
Response Time and compliance with the
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
 Caption needed xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
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J. Jupiri Bin Apou
Fire and Rescue Department
of Malaysia, Sabah State.
46 ASIA PACIFIC FIR E O C TO BE R 2017
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Plate, Eurasian Plate and Plate Australia
due to the geographical location of Sabah;
located in the southeastern of the Eurasian
plate. According to Prof. Dr. Felix Tongkul
(UMS: Daily News June 10, 2016), the
Philippines-Pacific Plate moves around
10cm a year westward to collide with the
Eurasian Plate. Whereas in the southern
part of the Australian Plate is moving
north at a rate of 7 cm a year which still
affects long distance compressive energy.
From the perspective of fire and rescue,
the earthquake disaster management
can be divided into four phases of the
disaster management system namely
Preparedness, Response, Recovery,
strictly during operations and high-quality and Mitigation.
service delivery to the customers as the In the aspect of the ‘Preparedness’
7 Image courtesy of J. Jupiri Bin Apou
core business of the organization in line phase, Sabah Fire and Rescue
with the Vision of the Department; ‘Being Department has taken anticipative and
A High-Performance Organization in Fire proactive measures to manage the
And Rescue’. incident by organizing ‘‘Ex-Storm Kinabalu’
Disaster Management Training intensively
Incident background in Mount Kinabalu, Ranau Sabah on 16
Earthquakes are a frequent natural December 2014. The aim of this training Implementation of  Caption needed xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
disaster in areas where continental which involves all agencies and volunteer SAR operation action xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
rivers experience slippage or vibration bodies is to empower rescue team On 5 June 2015, at 0737 am, the Sabah
that occurs on the surface of the earth. preparedness to address the earthquake Fire and Rescue Department Operations
This is due to the sudden release of catastrophe as well as to strengthen Center (PGO) received distress calls the Incident Command System (ICS)
energy from the seismic waves. Normal collaboration and teamwork among through the Malaysian Emergency approach, adapted to achieve the goals
earthquakes are caused by the Earth’s departments or rescue agencies and Response Services (MERS) 999 from and objectives of the operating action
crust movement (Earth plate) either supporting agencies which are involved. the public and Sabah Parks Officers who set. The ICS organizational structure was
horizontally or vertically. The earthquake stated that some climbers were stranded formed in the Fire Command Post (FCP)
in Ranau is associated with the existence Earthquake chronology on the peak of Mount Kinabalu as the that had been created to coordinate
of active faults. These faults are driven The majestic view of the Mount Kinabalu in hiking trails have been cut off due to action and determine the search and
by compressive pressures from the three Kundasang, which is about 24 kilometers cracks and rocks. When the earthquake rescue movement strategy for affected
main interactions of the Philippine-Pacific from Ranau Sabah is shocked by a struck, the rock ruins struck the route of victims. The ICS Organization Structure
quake on June 05, 2015, at 0715am with the ‘Walk The Torq’ rope, which then fell is headed by of Senior Police Officers
a magnitude 6.0 scale of Ritcher. The on a group of 12 Singaporean students on as ‘Incident Commander’ and assisted
quake has resulted in numerous rock “Monkey Bridge” at 200 feet high. At the by Senior Fire and Rescue Officer as
rubble at the top of the mountain and same time, some climbers who were on Deputy Incident Commander, supported
the mountaineering routes to Mount the route of 6 kilometers to 7 kilometers by Command Staffs, Head of Planning,
Kinabalu including the largest rock ruins were also affected by rock collapse Finance, Logistics, and Operations
of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Peak and the resulting in severe injuries and deaths at Section. The initial search and rescue
famous ‘Donkeys Ears’ at the summit of the scene. The stranded climbers along operation was immediately implemented
the mount. The ruins of this huge stone the mountains guides had to begin their by the mountain guides whilst Fire and
have caused destruction and casualties journey down the climbing route to get Rescue Department and Sabah Parks
among climbers, including few mountain help from rescue teams coming from Rangers are to look into the entire area
guides. Based on the information from the Timpohon Gate. including the ‘size-up’ and to identify the
State FRDM Operations Center said that At 0740 the Rescue Team from safe route for climbing. Upon receipt of
on the day of the earthquake, 187 climbers, the Ranau Fire and Rescue Station operational information, the first rescue
46 mountain guides, 11 Mountain Torq and assisted by the Sabah Parks was team consisting of 18 members started
employees, 31 Sutera Sanctuary Lodges deployed to the scene and arrived at climbing the mountain to enter the ‘red
staffs, and 2 Sabah Parks Officers were the site for about 39 minutes prior to zone’ area where the climbers were
7 Image courtesy of J. Jupiri Bin Apou
trapped at the foot of Mount Kinabalu. the commencement of the search and stranded or injured.
FRDM as the major rescue agency rescue operations of the affected victims. On the first day, as soon as the mass
mobilized the first rescue team of 5 officers In this ‘Response’ phase, the Fire evacuation done, the search and rescue
to the scene to initiate the search and and Rescue Department implemented operations of the earthquake victims
rescue operation. the search and rescue operations using continued to intensify at the scene at
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 Operation of transporting
earthquake victims.

In the ‘Recovery’ phase, the rescue

team has identified the alternative trails
in the affected area and safe routes
provided by the ‘Guide Line’ or ‘safety
rope’ to facilitate rescuers’ movement
in SAR operations at the place. At the
third stage, the SAR movement at the
scene locates with Locate-Acces-
Stable-Transport (LAST) method and
‘SAR Pattern’ search techniques and
subsequent ‘Body Recovery’ operations.
Nevertheless, there are challenges
faced by the rescue teams whereby it
is extremely difficult to access at the
site of the trail through the 7km trail of

7 Image courtesy of J. Jupiri Bin Apou

11.30am. Disaster management and
coordination of the search and rescue
operations are regulated and monitored
by the State Disaster Management
Committee chaired by Sabah State
Secretary DSP Sukarti Wakiman.
At the same time, the Fire Command
Post was set up in the Kinabalu Park
area headed by YS Sabah State Fire
and Rescue Department as Deputy
Incident Commander to coordinate and
mobilize rescue teams comprising various
agencies such as the Fire Department
Malaysia Rescue, Police, SMART Team,
Malaysian Armed Forces, Department
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the ‘Timpohon Trail’ and ‘Mesilau Trail’.
of Civil Defense, Ranger of Sabah Parks, At level four of the operation strategy,
Mountain Guides Society and Mountain mobilization of resources such as
Torq Coach. A total number of 497 ambulance were used to transport
members of the SAR teams and support victims to nearest government hospitals.
agencies involved in the earthquake However, the use of helicopters to
SAR operation. transport victims through the air can not resources and logistics, professionalism preparedness program in order to deal  Caption needed xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
Under the Operations Section, the be fully implemented due to dangerous and member skills and response time with the earthquake in the future more xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx
Fire Front Command Post (FFCP) was helicopters and weather factors in the performance in providing fire and rescue easily and effectively.
established at Timpohon Gate (PKH1), area of M​ ount Kinabalu. services to the whole community. Hence,
Kundasang - Helipad (PKH2) and Laban By the third day, all the 18 victims who this search and rescue operation has 3. Multiple Agency Disaster
Rata (PKH3) to implement Incident were killed in the earthquake were found provided some lessons and useful Management Exercise
Action Plans (IAP) Rescue set. The main by rescue teams. The total number of experience in the services related to Coordination of operations during the Summary
objective of the operation is to implement victims rescued during the earthquake this department. earthquake disaster among various The Malaysian Fire and Rescue
“Mass Evacuation” by evacuating the operation was 277 people, of which 237 agencies should be further enhanced Department as a national rescue is
victims (climbers) from the location to were safe, 22 were injured and 18 were 1. SOP Earthquake Disaster Management through disaster management training a milestone which has played an
a safe place. Next is to perform the killed. The search and rescue operations The success of the search and rescue involving all rescue agencies and support important role with rescue agencies
‘Search And Rescue’ (SAR) movement of the victims in the Mountain Kinabalu operations in the Mount Kinabalu agencies. This cooperation could help and other supporting agencies in the
for all the victims including transferring earthquake incident took 5 days and earthquake tragedy is largely dependent each agency to review, test and improve search and rescue operation in the
them to a safe location. finally ended completely on 10 June on the effectiveness of the implementation its preparedness in terms of departmental Mount Kinabalu, Ranau, Sabah
2015 at 12 noon. and learning of the ‘Ex-Storm Kinabalu’ SOPs, logistic preparedness and earthquake. The preparedness, skills
In the ‘Mitigation’ phase, the Fire and - Disaster Management Training. Hence, employment and preparedness in terms high teamwork, attentive attitude,
Rescue Department Malaysia as the there is a need to establish a clear and of communication and staff expertise professional attitudes and commitment
primary rescue agency has established systematic Earthquake Operational during the earthquake disaster. of rescue team members are essential
a special rescue team, ‘Mountain Action Plan (OAP) to address the to ensure that every survivor is saved
Search and Rescue’ (MOSAR) Team earthquake more efficiently and 4. Dedication and Commitment irrespective of the status, race, and
to improve response time and rescue effectively in the future. of Rescue Team Members nationality of the victim. The success
team preparedness in the event of any In this search and rescue operation, each of the Fire and Rescue team along with
emergencies in the mountain. In addition, 2. Public Awareness Campaign member should perform their duties and other agencies involved in this operation
the Fire and Rescue Department of The overall knowledge and awareness responsibilities and the respective roles enhanced the image of the department
Malaysia has also held awareness of the earthquake and its impact after required, even without further instructions and the community’s confidence in
and preparedness campaigns on an the incident are crucial to reducing the from the superior officer. The spirit, the government’s commitment to
earthquake to all levels of all state risk of injuries and loss of life due to the commitment of members and the protecting the interests of society as a
government agencies and federal earthquakes. Awareness campaigns, dedication of high-ranking team members whole in line with the Malaysian Fire and
agencies in Sabah. knowledge sessions and community will build an emerging emergency team Rescue Department’s Vision of Being
7 Image courtesy of J. Jupiri Bin Apou

preparedness on earthquake catastrophe
Earthquake operation: continues to be maintained by the Fire
lesson learned and Rescue Department of Malaysia.
Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia The community itself needs to establish
is constantly upgrading its human a group to hold an earthquake
that acts in an orderly manner; ‘one unit’
led by the ‘lead agency’ Fire and Rescue
team in the search and rescue operation
of the victims – as portrayed in the
incident of Mount Kinabalu earthquake.
a High-Performance Fire and Rescue
Organization, to greater heights.
For more information, email
 koupirie67@gmail.com

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