KUCHING: Firefighting is more than a career for Muhammed Mirza Dzalmira Miraj, a public relations officer with the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba), and Senior Fire Officer II Herman Aldi.
They see it as a calling filled with moments that leave deep emotional imprints.
Both men were among this year’s recipients of the 2024 Bomba Service Medals, presented by Bomba Director-General Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad in the presence of senior officers from Bomba Malaysia and Bomba Sarawak.
Mirza, who joined Bomba in 2011, was awarded the Pingat Setia Bomba (PSB) for his 15 years of dedicated service.
“I am truly grateful to the Director-General, and the top leadership of the department for awarding me this meaningful recognition for me and my family,” he said afterwards.
The honour, he added, will serve as a powerful motivation to continue serving the community with excellence.
Mirza still remembers with vivid clarity one of his most heartbreaking moments on duty, a fire in Tabuan Jaya during his second year of service.
“Our team discovered the bodies of two siblings, aged three and five, found embracing each other under the staircase of their home. That scene will stay with me forever,” he said, his voice catching as he recalled the tragedy.
He credits his training at fire academies in Terengganu and Selangor for helping him cope with such trauma.
“The moment I put on my firefighting suit, it’s as if a sense of duty and courage takes over. I believe it’s the spirit of a rescuer,” he said.
Looking ahead, Mirza hopes to raise greater public awareness on fire prevention.
“Prevention is just as important as rescue, things like building fire systems, smoke alarms, and proper safety installations. Even at home, we should teach our children how to escape during a fire and make safety a top priority,” he said.
For Herman Aldi, the road has been even longer.
Over 24 years in the service, he has been posted to Batu Lintang, Tabuan Jaya, the state headquarters, and is now based at Padungan Fire Station under the Motorcycle Response Unit and Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS).
His most haunting memory is a 2023 fire at RPR Batu Kawa that claimed the life of a child.
“It was midday, the fire was spreading rapidly due to strong winds and the house structure. We tried our best to save the child, but we were too late. Finding the child later… it was heartbreaking,” he recalled.
Herman’s dedication has been recognised with two Excellent Service Awards in 2014 and 2022, and now the Bomba Service Medal for 2024. But he insists awards are not his main motivation.
“The real drive comes from serving the community and helping people in need. The awards are a form of appreciation from the department, and we value them deeply, but our true motivation is to serve,” he said.
Both men’s stories are a poignant reminder that behind the helmets and fire suits are humans driven by courage, tested by tragedy, and sustained by a deep commitment to protect others.
