The Fire and Rescue Department is preparing a back-up plan to ensure smooth running of its flood operations this year.

Its director-general Wan Mohd Noor Ibrahim said they already identified several weaknesses and problems faced during the previous operations and had formulated suitable strategies to ensure that the problems would not recur.

"During last year's floods in Kelantan, we had some difficulties in delivering food supply to the victims as most land routes were impassable and all alternative roads were just too far.

"So, for this year, we have prepared an air unit, which will be deployed if the flood-hit area cannot be reached by our lorries or boats," he told reporters after the accreditation ceremony for 414 auxiliary fire fighters at the Wakaf Tapai Fire and rescue Academy in Marang today.

Wan Mohd Noor said they had also ordered over 300 generator sets to be distributed to relief centres in flood-prone areas in facing possible of power supply disruption.

At present, he said the department also has a total of 700 boats at its disposal nationwide.

In another development, Wan Mohd Noor said 14 new fire stations of the B category would be built especially in rural and remote areas across the country next year with an allocation of RM42.9 million.

He said the construction of the additional fire stations was vital to smoothen its overall operations, be it in the case of fire, accident or drowning, as it could reduce the arrival time for emergency response.

"The stations will be built at the most strategic areas which will enable us to reach the scene in less than 10 minutes," he added.

- Bernama