OGAN ILIR, SOUTH SUMATRA — Dompet Dhuafa, through its Disaster Management Center (DMC) and South Sumatra Branch, organized a Community Gathering and Disaster Training event. This three-day event saw participation from various communities across 17 districts/cities in South Sumatra.
The Dompet Dhuafa Community Gathering and Disaster Training took place in two locations: UTOPIA Collaboration Space in Palembang City and Burai Village, Tanjung Batu Sub-district, Ogan Ilir, from Friday (19/1/2024) to Sunday (21/1/2024).
A total of 47 participants from 31 diverse communities in South Sumatra took part in this event themed “Humanity Volunteer Gen Z.” This theme was chosen to ensure that young volunteers from communities in South Sumatra understand the values of volunteerism and can form a strong network for disaster management and preparedness in various areas of South Sumatra.
In addition to DMC Dompet Dhuafa, the event’s execution also involved collaborations with Dompet Dhuafa’s disaster response units, such as Emergency Health Response (EHR) Free Health Services (LKC), Dompet Dhuafa Volunteer (DDV), and the local disaster management agency, namely the Ogan Ilir District Disaster Management Agency (BPBD).
“Communities play a crucial role in the volunteer network. Through a structured network within communities, we can facilitate quick response and preparedness in various areas with their own disaster risks,” explained Ahmad Lukman, the Manager of DMC Dompet Dhuafa’s Disaster Education and Training Center.
DMC Dompet Dhuafa specifically covered topics on Post Management, Forest and Land Fire (Karhutla) Disaster Mitigation, and Flood Disasters. Additionally, under the special segment of South Sumatra Disaster Preparedness Training, DMC Dompet Dhuafa conducted practical simulations for Karhutla mitigation and flood (water rescue) with the assistance of the Ogan Ilir BPBD. The Karhutla and flood mitigation simulation training was deemed timely and of high urgency.
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“In the disaster preparedness training, especially in water rescue, we learned a lot about how to save victims. How we rescue using ropes, and there are many amazing experiences here,” explained Dina Bahriani Putri, a training participant from the Rata Kota Palembang community.
Dedi Kurniawan from the Ogan Ilir BPBD shared his thoughts on the training held in Burai Village, Ogan Ilir.
“Floods, landslides, and forest and land fires are hazards for the South Sumatra region. Currently, floods and Karhutla are still urgent issues. South Sumatra remains a trending topic for smoke contribution,” stated Dedi Kurniawan.
This event aims for the participants, who are volunteers from communities in South Sumatra, to play an active role in disaster management in their respective community areas.
“After this training, the participants can go directly to the field. At least, it can ease the disaster management process on the ground. We hope this activity continues, and volunteers can synergize with other disaster management agencies,” continued Dedi.
Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra also holds similar hopes for the successful execution of the Community Gathering and Disaster Training event. Through this event, DD South Sumatra hopes that participants from district/city communities in South Sumatra can collaborate with Dompet Dhuafa.
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“With hope, this can unearth potential collaborations with the youth across various districts/cities in South Sumatra,” said Rizki Asmuni, the Branch Manager of Dompet Dhuafa South Sumatra.
“And through disaster preparedness training, since South Sumatra often experiences disasters in several districts/cities, this training can prepare the youth of South Sumatra to directly engage in potential disaster sites in their respective areas,” he concluded.
The three-day event was well-received by the participants, who gained new insights, especially in practical disaster mitigation simulations for both Karhutla and flood disasters.
The volunteer network within communities plays a vital role in disaster preparedness. Hopefully, this will also establish a disaster response volunteer network that can assist disaster survivor groups.
Moreover, the knowledge and understanding of volunteerism values and disaster preparedness imparted during the training can contribute to disaster mitigation and minimize disaster risks, especially in the South Sumatra region. (Dompet Dhuafa/DMC/MAA)