Klojen (malangkota.go.id) – Joint officers from the Malang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), TNI, Polri, BNPB, PMI, Tagana and the community were busy dealing with five types of natural disasters that hit Malang City Hall, Wednesday (26/4). The five types of natural disasters were tornadoes, heavy rain, earthquakes, fires, and landslides. Dozens of officers were seen going back and forth to extinguish the fire and evacuate disaster victims.
The fire and evacuation of victims at Malang City Hall turned out to be just a simulation carried out by the Malang City BPBD to commemorate National Disaster Preparedness Day (HKBN).
This simulation was conducted on fire disaster management when Malang City Hall caught fire. So that in the simulation it looked like a real fire was happening and the joint officers were carrying out their respective roles.
According to the Head of the PMI Malang City Service Section, Heri Swarsono, this disaster management simulation is very important. Because, if they often do exercises, disaster management officers will be more responsive in disasters and skilled in the process of evacuating victims.
"Of course it's not interesting when saving victims, the officers don't survive. That's why it's important to do exercises like this as often as possible," Heri Swarsono told the media crew on the sidelines of the disaster simulation activity.
From this activity, it is also to eliminate sectoral egos that have often occurred in the field when a disaster occurs. Through good communication with all elements of society, in the future when a disaster occurs it will certainly be easier to handle it.
"It's not just handling in the disaster area that is important to do. But handling in the ER and hospitals also really needs training. So that when a disaster occurs, the team at the hospital is no longer nervous about working," he explained.
Especially, he said, BPBD, PMI and Tagana are more official in helping the government to overcome disasters. So they must be really trained. For example, to handle people trapped in buildings, of course, they cannot be pulled out just like that. There is a special science that must be learned when this condition occurs.
Meanwhile, Acting Deputy Chief of Malang Police, Commissioner Abdul Kholik, said that Indonesia is at high risk of disaster. Simulation activities like this are very important to anticipate whenever a disaster occurs, so that the community is ready to be evacuated.
Indonesia's geographical conditions are prone to disasters, such as earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and floods. These disasters can occur at any time without being predicted. So to reduce the risk of disaster, he said, what can be done now is to increase awareness and build vigilance, especially in areas with potential for disaster, such as rivers.
According to a study by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the number of fatalities due to moderate to high disasters spread across 34 provinces reached 71.740 people. In fact, throughout 2016 there were 2.342 disasters, where 92 percent of the disasters were dominated by floods, landslides, and tornadoes.
"Likewise with Malang City, based on the 2013 Indonesian disaster risk index, it is known that there are 6 types of potential natural disasters that can occur with medium and high risk classes. These types of natural disasters include floods, fallen trees, landslides, and others," said Abdul Kholik.
In addition, non-natural disasters such as residential building fires, disease epidemics and social conflicts also have the potential to occur in Malang City. So that disaster management work is not an easy job, because it requires cooperation and solidarity from all parties.
"We invite all elements from the government, society and business world to coordinate, communicate and synergize in preparing comprehensive and integrated planning to plan steps or efforts for emergency response to disasters," he added.
"Today, Indonesia simultaneously commemorates HKBN. Including in Malang City. Today we are holding a roll call and disaster evacuation simulation," said Head of the Malang City Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) J. Hartono after the simulation.
In the simulation attended by 700 personnel from several agencies in Malang City, it was depicted that Malang City was hit by the five types of disasters above. Officers are required to quickly and alertly handle disaster victims.
"Marking the victim whether they died, were seriously injured, or lightly injured. If the deceased is given a black ribbon, seriously injured and in need of immediate treatment is given a red ribbon, and yellow for lightly injured," added Hartono. (cah/ram/dmb)
