IDEP Selaras Alam Foundation (IDEP), in collaboration with KUN Humanity System (KUN+), held an Emergency Disaster Response Training (EDRT) for the residents affected by the Cianjur Earthquake last November. The activity took place for a week from August 21st to 24th, 2023, in Tunagan Village, Wangunjaya Village, Cugenang Sub-district, Cianjur Regency, West Java. This training hopes to assist the residents in recovering after the earthquake and simultaneously building self-reliant preparedness to reduce the risks in case a disaster happens again.
The training was attended by 35 representative residents from three neighborhood units (RT). Their composition was reasonably balanced, including both women and men, adults and youths. Most of them were active residents who directed others during the earthquake.
Apart from IDEP and KUN+, various entities involved in disaster management in Cianjur Regency also participated as speakers. These included the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), as well as the Housing and Settlement Area Agency (PERKIM).
Several Tunagan residents appear enthusiastic while participating in the training
During the four-day training, residents were invited to learn together about disaster risk reduction, rapid assessment during disasters, first aid and disaster victim evacuation, clean water and sanitation, management of emergency posts and logistics, establishment of Community Disaster Response Groups (KMPB), and even earthquake simulation preparation.
This training is a part of the post-disaster recovery program conducted by IDEP and KUN+ in Tunagan Village. Previously, this program also included a series of trainings on family backyard gardens, seedling planting for food self-sufficiency, and Earthquake Safe Houses (RAG), held from May to July 2023.
Residents are invited to practice first aid on victims
The four-day disaster emergency response training series will conclude with an earthquake simulation on August 27th. This activity will involve around 200 residents from three local neighborhood units (RT). In this manner, residents are expected to become accustomed to and subsequently trained to reduce the risk of casualties in an earthquake. This consideration arises from residential areas being densely populated in several locations. Not to mention the challenging road access that led to the isolation of residents after the earthquake. By initiating this in Tunagan Hamlet, disaster management through the Community Disaster Response Groups (KMPB) can be a positive model that Wangunjaya Village and other vulnerable areas could adopt.
The training series held throughout the program, which will conclude in December of this year, is an effort to support residents with the skills, knowledge, and experience necessary for effective recovery processes. With a focus on resilience, sustainability, and community empowerment, the collaboration between IDEP and KUN+ is expected to leave a sustainable impact, enabling Cianjur to rise more vital and more resilient than before.
Article & Photo: Nicolaus Sulistyo © IDEP Foundation
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