THE death of a Dutch tourist and his young guide in the Mulu National Park cave floods in July last year exposed the shortcomings in the Fire and Rescue Services Department’s search and rescue (SAR) capabilities in emergencies that require specialist skills.

The department took stock of the situation and has now formed its newest specialised rescue unit – the mountain, cave search and rescue unit (MOCSAR).

The nucleus of this unit was formed from the cave guides who took part in the four-day SAR, state fire chief Khirudin Drahman told the Malaysian Insight.

Khirudin admits that “our cave rescue capability was zero” when the Dutchman went missing in the Mulu caves on July 12, last year.

“We were not prepared,” he said.

It’s something we never thought of, as this was something that had never happened in Sarawak.

“We sent a search-and-rescue team into that Deer Cave that had absolutely no experience in conducting a rescue in that environment, let alone having knowledge of the dangers in caves,” he added.

The unit was formed on July 12, exactly a year to the day of the fatal incident that claimed the lives of 66 year-old Utrecht native, Peter Hans Hovenkamp, and his 20-year local guide Roviezal Robin.

“The men we sent had some basic training in mountain rescue – abseiling, repelling and all that stuff – but nothing in caves.”

Khirudin said the 16 men they deployed from the Miri and Marudi fire stations brought their equipment along but found many were not suitable for cave rescue.

If it had not been for the cave guides, Khirudin said things would pan out badly for his men.

One of the scariest moments during the search was when fresh flooding hit the cave.

The cave guides who had joined in the search used their expertise to keep the firemen safe.

So far, the unit has 11 men who have been recruited as auxiliary firefighters.

It’s headed by the park’s manager Hein Getsner.

One of the auxiliary firefighters is 39 year-old father of two, Undi Mamat.

He never thought the fire department would tap his 18 years of  experience as a cave guide.

Undi was one of the first few men who went into the  Mulu caves, a  rugged Unesco world heritage site famous for its caves, cliffs and gorges, to search for Hovenkamp and Roviezal. 

“I was the second person to reach the Deer Cave. I spent the whole four days, from the first to last light, scouring the many labyrinths of the cave for the two men,” Undi told The Malaysian Insight.

Hovenkamp’s body was found on July 13 but Roviezal’s was only recovered on July 15. His body was found at the end of a never discovered underwater tunnel.

Undi said since he started work with the national park, the guides have always been the first responders to any situation.

“I have joined the search for missing visitors, gave first-aid to those who got injured in falls and in rescuing visitors stranded by the sudden swelling of rivers there.

“The park did give us some basic training but the training we now get as auxiliary firemen is several notches higher,” Undi said.

The auxiliary firemen have to undergo 100 hours of basic training – a minimum of 12 hours a week or 60 hours a month for the first six months.

The Iban from Miri said with the new training, he is “now better equipped” to respond to emergencies.

The training he gets includes leadership, working as a team, basic medical training to handle trauma, retrieving and transporting injured victims and helicopter evacuations.

Undi is also picking up new rope skills, an essential part of any mountain and cave rescue.

“Since these people are well versed in the cave, we just enhance them by giving them the proper training,” Khirudin said.

The unit will eventually have its full complement of 15 members.

They are divided into three teams, each working 8-hour shifts. 

Apart from mountain and cave SAR, they are also first responders to any fires – building, brush or forest fires.

The nearest fire station is at Marudi – a three hours by the fastest speed boat.

The quickest for the Marudi firemen to get to the park is by air.

Since the unit was formed, new procedures have been drawn up for visitors.

Light safety helmets and vests are a must for all visitors to the caves.

The auxiliary firemen have also been tasked with inspecting all the safety measures in the caves and on the long trail to the Pinnacles – a jagged limestone formation near Gunung Api that is popular to foreign visitors.

It’s a three-day, two-night hike to Gunung Api and back to the park headquarters.

Since there have been accidents at the Pinnacles, the Fire Department has now set up a helicopter landing pad there for quicker medivac.

The responsibility of maintaining the pad falls on the auxiliary firemen.

“Mulu is a famous tourist site. The fatal incident last year caught the world’s attention.

“They could be asking if it’s safe to go to the park.We say it’s very safe now.

“We have restored that confidence with this new unit,” Khirudin said. – August 30, 2020.