Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) has expressed interest in deepening its collaboration with Russia’s Ministry of Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters (EMERCOM) to explore the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotics in emergency response and firefighting operations. Its director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad commended Russia’s technological advancements, particularly EMERCOM’s innovative use of AI in incident prediction incidents, resource management, and risk analysis.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nor Hisham emphasized the department’s eagerness to learn from Russia’s advancements in deploying AI and robotics in fire and rescue work. He highlighted EMERCOM’s use of AI to predict incidents, allocate resources efficiently, and analyze risks as relevant and inspiring to JBPM. As JBPM progresses with its digital transformation, starting with the C4I – Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence – system, there is a focus on leveraging smart systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, predictive modeling, and AI-powered surveillance for real-time monitoring in firefighting and disaster risk reduction.

Nor Hisham shared these insights during a welcoming speech at a courtesy call by Russia’s EMERCOM Minister Colonel General Alexander Kurenkov at the JBPM headquarters. He also expressed interest in exploring advanced fire safety systems, particularly the potential application of Russian fire safety systems in Malaysia. He mentioned Pyrogen, a well-known brand offering aerosol-based solutions, as an area with significant potential for improving fire suppression systems and safety installations across the country.

Reflecting on the longstanding partnership between JBPM and Russia, which began in 1998 with the acquisition of two Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters, Nor Hisham noted the vital role these helicopters play in aerial firefighting and search and rescue operations. Since the establishment of JBPM’s Air Division, Malaysian firefighters have received training in Russia for flight and aerial rescue operations, resulting in 29 trained pilots, 22 of whom are certified to operate the Mi-17 and Mi-171 helicopters.