KOTA KINABALU: Firemen stationed at Mount Kinabalu in Ranau are bracing themselves for busy times ahead now that more climbers are allowed to scale Malaysia’s highest peak.

       The men from the Fire and Rescue Department’s Mountain Search and Rescue (Mosar) team have been occupied with rescue work in the years before Covid-19 struck but have been largely out of action the last two years.

       Ranau Fire and Rescue chief Ridwan Mohd Taib said that was all about to change with the reopening of the country’s borders on Apr 1.

       “I have to check to be sure but roughly we only handled less than 10 rescue missions in 2021,” he told the Star.

       “This year, we have encountered at least 27 cases already, with most of the climbers facing issues like acute mountain sickness (AMS) and other physical injuries such as dislocation as a result from a fall or slipping.

       “With more domestic and international tourists allowed to enter Sabah, that means more people will climb Mount Kinabalu so we expect more potential issues to occur.

       “But we are always prepared and on standby. If we don’t have enough personnel, we will deploy more backup from our Ranau fire station to help out.”

       Kinabalu Park, where Mount Kinabalu is located, was first closed to the public in March 2020 when the movement control order (MCO) was imposed.

       Since then, it was reopened and closed several times due to infection surges in the past two years in Sabah before reopening again on Sept 16 last year.

       Ridwan said the department has two Mosar teams stationed at Mount Kinabalu, one on standby near the peak and the other at the foot of the mountain.

       “The teams will rotate each day, each taking the other’s place but suffice to say they will always be on standby every day, even when there are no climbers,” he said.

       He said they also work hand in hand with Sabah Parks, which is in charge of all national parks in the state, as they also have their own rescue teams.

       He added first-time climbers were usually the ones facing most issues.

       “They normally get AMS. They will show mild symptoms like lack of oxygen, vomiting and no appetite while the more serious cases involve dizziness and anxiety, causing them unable to continue the climb,” Ridwan said.

       He said those with physical injuries will also need to be carried down the mountain using stretches.

       Towards this end, he advised climbers, especially those making their first ascent up Mount Kinabalu, to prepare their bodies as well as their minds prior to that.

       “They should make physical and mental preparations. Besides that, they must also carry only what they need so that they won’t add unnecessary weight to their backpacks.

       “There are porters for hire to carry their stuff but some prefer to challenge themselves. We understand this but we also want people to have a fun and safe experience going up the mountain,” he said.