Kuantan: In honour of his dedication and courage, Senior Fire Officer II Mohd Hazrizam Hasin from Maran fire and rescue station was today honoured with the Bintang Wira Merah medal at the Pahang Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) Service Medal Awards ceremony. He was among 16 members of the JBPM's Tactical Operations Rescue Team of Malaysia (STORM) deployed to Gaziantep, Turkiye, in February 2023 to assist in a humanitarian mission following a devastating earthquake.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Hazrizam recalled his experience in the Eurasian country, recounting the rescue of a two-year-old boy and his father who had miraculously survived seven days under the rubble of collapsed buildings. 'They were covered in dust when I carried them out. The father told me he had kept his child alive by giving his own saliva to his son to keep the toddler hydrated,' he said after the event which was officiated by JBPM director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
Having served in the JBPM for 20 years, Mohd Hazrizam noted that this was his first mission in extreme cold while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). Apart from the international humanitarian mission, he was also involved in the search and rescue (SAR) operation for victims of the Batang Kali landslide in Selangor on Dec 16, 2022.
Expressing his heartfelt gratitude to the JBPM for awarding him the Bintang Wira Merah medal, Mohd Hazrizam said, 'I would also like to thank the JBPM director-general (Nor Hisham) and STORM commander Ismail Abd Ghani for providing many opportunities and shaping me into who I am today.' He hoped to inspire other firefighters to stay committed and passionate in carrying out their duties.
The Bintang Wira Merah is bestowed on any firefighter recognised by the JBPM director-general for making significant and outstanding contributions to firefighting missions at both national and international levels. Meanwhile, Nor Hisham mentioned at the ceremony that his department honoured 70 firefighters with the Fire Service Medal, 77 with the Excellent Service Award, 46 with the 30-Year Service Certificate, and 21 with the Certificate of Commendable Service for Auxiliary Fire Officers.
In the meantime, he noted that the World Firefighters Day celebration, held at Padang Majlis Bandaraya Kuantan 1 on May 4, saw an extraordinary turnout, with 10,000 visitors attending the event.