12 more sniffer dogs planned for K9 unit

 

Firemen with a sniffer dog from the fire and rescue department’s K9 unit in action.

PUTRAJAYA: The fire and rescue department hopes to add 12 more sniffer dogs to its K9 unit following the unit’s good performance in the search for landslide victims at the Father’s Organic Farm campsite in Batang Kali last month.

The department’s director-general, Hamdan Wahid, said 3,400 extra personnel are needed as one of the measures to improve fire and rescue services.

He said the increase was part of the department’s restructuring measures that would be presented to the local government development ministry.

 He said the purchase had been approved by the Economic Planning Unit to add to the existing 36 dogs. The cost for a detection dog and handling package can reach RM400,000. - FMT