From Khairul Hafezad Abdullah
When a heavy-rain warning appears on our phones, most of us understand what it means. We know which roads usually flood, which rivers may rise, and which neighbourhoods have been affected before.
Yet knowing that a risk exists is not the same as being prepared for it.
After a major flood, we often hear people say: “We never thought it would get this bad.” Often the problem is not always that we failed to see the danger. We saw it, understood it - and carried on as usual.
This is a familiar challenge in safety management. When people are repeatedly exposed to a hazard without serious consequences, their perception of risk can change. What once caused concern begins to feel normal.
Consider a family in a flood-prone area. The water may have reached the front gate several times but never entered the house. This past experience becomes reassurance: “It happens every year. The water will subside."
But the next flood does not have to behave like the last one. A hazard does not become less dangerous simply because we are accustomed to it.
Malaysia today has far better access to information than it did decades ago. Weather warnings reach our phones quickly, while river levels, road closures and evacuation centres can be monitored almost in real time.
The real question is what we do with that information. Do we move vehicles to higher ground, secure important documents and medicines, check on vulnerable family members or neighbours, and know where to go if evacuation becomes necessary? Or do we read the warning, glance outside, and continue as usual?
According to the statistics department, floods caused an estimated RM636.9 million in losses nationwide in 2025. Public assets and infrastructure accounted for RM380.2 million, while damage to living quarters amounted to RM183.8 million.
But preparedness should begin before we start counting losses.
Imagine being told you have 10 minutes to leave your house. What would you take? Who would need assistance? Where would you go? Would everyone know what to do?
For households with elderly people, young children, persons with disabilities or family members requiring regular medication, these questions matter even more.
Communities matter, too. In the first moments of an emergency, rescue personnel cannot be at every doorstep. Sometimes, the first person able to help is a neighbour.
A prepared community knows which households may need assistance, which roads become inaccessible first, and how reliable information can be shared quickly.
From an occupational safety viewpoint, good safety management does not wait for someone to be injured before action is taken. Hazards are identified, risks assessed and reasonable controls are introduced beforehand.
Why should disaster preparedness be any different?
Preparedness does not mean living in constant fear, nor does every warning require panic. It means accepting risk and uncertainty as part of the package, and taking reasonable action before circumstances become critical.
So when the next warning appears on our phones, perhaps the question should not be: “Will it really get that bad?” It should be: “If it does, are we ready to act?”
Khairul Hafezad Abdullah is a senior lecturer in occupational safety and health management, and a reader of FMT.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.