Myanmar Fire Brigade serves its four duties and functions – fire safety, natural disaster prevention, search and recuse and public welfare without fail. Moreover, they uphold their seven performances and enhance four major abilities: firefighting ability, search and rescue ability, administrative ability and organizational ability.
Out of these four abilities, firefighting ability plays a key role, and the fire brigade showed off its ability among the international fire brigades.
The Myanmar delegation led by Director-General U Myat Thu of the Fire Service Department representing Myanmar competed in the Singapore-Global Firefighters. Paramedics Challenge (SGFPC) 2023 hosted by the Singapore Civil Defence Force – SCDF in Singapore from 20-25 November 2023, together with 16 other fire brigades from 13 countries. Myanmar won the championship in group competitions and third prize in individual competitions. That competence is the very first overseas experience in competing with foreign countries with high firefighting methods within 77 years.
A total of fire brigades from 13 countries such as Singapore, Myanmar, United Kingdom, Australia, China-Hongkong, Luxembourg, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Ecuador participated in the event, and officials from 17 countries attended it.
“The prize we won is a sign of the dignity of our country. We received the champion title in the rescue competition group and third prize in the individual event, and such achievement can promote the dignity of our country in addition to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Therefore, it is such a new milestone for the Fire Services Department,” said U Myat Thu, Director-General of the department.
Myanmar Fire Brigade also achieved prizes in the International Rescue Extrication Challenge (MIREC) Joint Drill of the fifth International Fire Conference Exhibition Malaysia (IFCEM) 2024 hosted by the Fire and Rescue Department Malaysia-FRDM in Malaysia from 22 to 24 October.
Before the second overseas competition, Director-General U Myat Thu encouraged his members, saying, “We have to compete with a proper mindset like we must win when we compete, we must be better when we are compared, with the spirit of not defeating or losing. Five people- one leader, one medical assistant and three technical assistants will have to compete in the Rescue Extrication Challenge (MIREC) Joint Drill, and so it is such an event with fitness, skill, fast, emotional resilience and communication skills of individuals. So, all must apply the four major ethics of firefighters- Fast, Effective, Versatile and Ensure Safety. Do embark on a new historic milestone promoting the dignity of the country and Fire Brigade.”
A total of 10 teams from nine countries: Myanmar, Indonesia, Hongkong, Vietnam, Singapore, Macao, the Philippines and Brunei, including host country Malaysia, participated in the International Rescue Extrication Challenge (MIREC) Joint Drill. The Myanmar team grabbed the Best Team Leader award. During the terms 77 and 78 years of the Myanmar Fire Brigade, Myanmar achieved prizes in two competitions: the Singapore-Global Firefighters and Paramedics Challenge (SGFPC) and the International Rescue Extrication Challenge (MIREC) Joint Drill.
Due to climate change, all the world’s countries, including Myanmar, are frequently facing earthquakes and natural disasters. Meanwhile, the firefighters respond to such incidents on the frontline bravely. Therefore, the Central Firefighting Training School (PyinOoLwin) offers capacity-building training courses for firefighters to enhance their capacity of rescue ability, high-end recuse techniques and application of rescue equipment.
Moreover, Myanmar Fire Brigade sent its scholars and members to conferences, workshops, joint exercises and trainings regarding firefighting, fire safety, rescue and disaster response in Asian countries like China, Russia, India, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Hongkong and Singapore in addition to ASEAN regional countries and BIMSTEC states.
Those who completed these training sessions and participated in conferences and workshops applied and exchanged their knowledge-enhancing skills of fire brigade members, innovation, technology integration, law and procedures and strategies.
Recuse work is a procedure of urban recuse work, and being a developing country, the country possesses enormous use of vehicles, and urban development also brings challenges to rescue work.
The firefighters who always sharpen four abilities- firefighting ability, search and rescue ability, administrative ability and organizational ability are always ready to rescue the lives and properties of people amid disasters, sacrificing their lives. Therefore, the people admire and trust them for their sacrifices. Moreover, they can light up the role of Myanmar among world countries, showing off their firefighting ability in competitions.
Competing in foreign events can create an atmosphere for the Myanmar Fire Brigade and international fire brigades where they can exchange technologies, knowledge and skills, study firefighting and rescue equipment to strengthen cooperation in regional fire safety and rescue teams, and also promote the capacity of Myanmar firefighters.
This article is written to honour the Myanmar Fire Brigade, which earned medals and prizes for promoting the dignity of the country and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
(Translated by KTZH)
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