SEREMBAN: A deep interest in heavy-duty tasks prompted Normaisarah Ibrahim, 31, to leave her career as a nurse seven years ago to fulfill her ambition to become a firefighter.
Normaisarah said although it was a male-dominated profession, she wanted to prove to herself that she was on par with her male colleagues.
"I have always loved challenges and jobs that require us to be physically active, which is why I switched to this profession.
"What's more, I love interacting with the public. Through this profession, I can serve the community," she told Bernama today.
Born in Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Normaisarah said she began her service with the fire and rescue department in Seremban in 2017, and among her first tasks was to put out fire and special duties such as saving accident victims.
However, Normaisarah said for the past three years, she had been assigned to the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) special medical unit, which provides initial treatment to victims involved in accidents.
With a Diploma in Nursing from the Masterskill University College of Health Sciences, Kuala Lumpur, she said her experience as a nurse was being put to good use.
"Two days ago, I was involved in an operation to rescue accident victims involving two vehicles, in which two died and three others were injured after being trapped.
"With my experience, I was able to assess the accident victims quickly as well as provide early treatment to those injured before they were sent to the hospital," she said.
According to her, one of the most challenging parts of her job currently was to adhere to the strict standard operating procedures during daily emergency assignments due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"When rescuing victims trapped in road accidents or fires, we have to wear PPE (personal protective equipment) in hot weather, not to mention carrying a hose weighing 16 kilogrammes to put out fires," said Normaisarah, who has been involved in more than 30 firefighting and special services operations.
In the meantime, Normaisarah advised the younger generation, especially women who wished to pursue a career as a firefighter to be strong mentally and physically, and not get easily discouraged.
"I believe women are capable of shouldering this task as well as men can," said Normaisarah, who aspires to be a successful female firefighter and provide excellent service to the community. - BERNAMA