As a woman in a male-dominated profession, she wondered if she could ever command the respect of her 27 male colleagues, all of whom were well experienced and some, older than she was.

“Marudi is one of the rural districts in Sarawak and there are a lot of challenges in terms of accessibility, especially when there is an emergency or fire.

“At that time, I was wondering whether I would be able to work with them and get their respect,” she told FMT.

But giving up was never an option, and Sim now believes that she has gained the respect and confidence of her colleagues.

“After I reported for duty at the fire station, I realised that all of them were in fact very cooperative and respected me.

“At work, I’m strict with my officers, but after work, we eat and talk to each other. We’re all friends.”

Sim began her career as a firefighter in 2007, but says that was never her ambition.

“Back then, I applied for a lot of jobs,” she said. “In fact, the firefighting job was my last option.

“I never thought of myself as a firefighter, but I fell in love with my job immediately after I started working. I’m now married to my job,” she laughed.

But there have been many difficulties along the way for Sim, who is the oldest of five siblings.

She spoke of the Gua Rusa tragedy in Mulu National Park in July, which resulted in the death of a tourist and a local tour guide.

That, she said, was one of her most difficult moments on the job.

“The rescue mission was very challenging as I had to face the victims’ family members.

“I had no choice but to remain professional when handling my emotions. I told myself that I had to be strong, otherwise how could I extend my support to the victims’ family members?”

At the end of the day, though, Sim finds comfort and encouragement in the knowledge that her job allows her to help those in need.

Her goal is to continue teaching the community around her about the importance of fire safety.

As for her earlier fears about gaining the respect of her colleagues, her approach these days is simple.

“I still respect those who are older than I am and will sometimes ask their opinions about work.

“I think it’s good to listen and take into account everyone’s opinion.”