Kelantan Fire Department Considers Extended 48-Hour Shifts And Prepares Special Evacuation Databases For Monsoon Floods

The Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) is considering extending operational duty shifts up to 48 hours to bolster rescue capabilities if major flooding strikes during the 2026/2027 Northeast Monsoon.

Kelantan JBPM Director Farhan Sufyan Borhan announced that the department is prepared to transition from its standard 12-hour, three-team rotation to 24-hour or 48-hour shift systems based on ground-level disaster requirements.

“To increase the number of personnel available during major floods, we will manage leave and switch from 12-hour to 24-hour shifts, thereby increasing the number of personnel on duty,” Farhan Sufyan explained, adding that a complete freeze on personnel leave may be implemented depending on flood severity.

However, Farhan Sufyan emphasized that expanding manpower must be supported by asset availability, pointing out that additional personnel require sufficient rescue boats, heavy trucks, and four-wheel-drive vehicles to execute evacuations effectively.

In parallel preparations, Kelantan JBPM has mapped and compiled detailed databases of vulnerable populations—including the elderly, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and bedridden patients—living in flood-prone zones across the state.

Conducted in coordination with the State Disaster Management Committee, the Social Welfare Department (JKM), and the Health Department, the exercise aims to facilitate targeted priority evacuations during emergency surges.

“We have identified the number of PwDs and elderly people in these areas who require attention, and the matter has been coordinated at the State Disaster Management Committee level,” Farhan Sufyan stated.

The operational adjustments coincide with a caution-level continuous rain warning issued by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) valid through Wednesday, November 11, 2026, across Terengganu and nine Kelantan districts: Tanah Merah, Pasir Mas, Tumpat, Kota Bharu, Machang, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Kuala Krai, and Jeli. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage’s (DID) National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN) concurrently warned of potential flood risks across the nine districts.

Operational Adjustments, Special Assistance Mapping, and Weather Alerts

Key shift strategies, vulnerable group planning, and weather warnings include:

• Shift System Adjustments: Flexible transition from standard 12-hour rotations to 24-hour or 48-hour extended shifts during major flood disasters.
• Manpower Management: Potential freeze on all department leave to maximize active personnel counts.
• Vulnerable Population Mapping: Database compiled with JKM and Health Department targeting the elderly, PwDs, and bedridden patients for priority evacuation.
• Key Equipment Dependencies: Operational success linked to boat availability, 3-tonne/5-tonne trucks, and 4WD vehicles.
• MetMalaysia & DID Warnings: Caution-level continuous rain and flood risk alerts active through Nov 11 across 9 Kelantan districts.

-NMT