SARI MUTIA TIMUR

Determined doctor on a mission

If it wasn’t for her giant backpack Sari Mutia Timur, a woman of slight build even by Indonesian standards, would be easily overlooked.

Which would be a mistake for she could save your life, not just with her medical skills but also through the message she carries.

For Dr Sari is a disaster response worker and educator, work that’s now getting recognised as an academic disciple abroad.

She’s also a no-nonsense operator, more interested in the big picture than small talk or what people think of her. Though weighed down like a tiny Atlas the staunchly independent woman moves nimbly; what’s 12 kilos of laptop and documents, books and clothes when you need to be prepared?

“We have to think ahead, get ready, develop the skills and knowledge to survive when things go wrong,” she said. “Learning how to be self reliant is essential.”

Despite regularly confronting horror and misery Dr Sari looks a decade younger than her 36 years and doesn’t fit the image of a dapper doctor from an elite campus. She has enough overseas experience and qualifications to set up a lucrative practice as a GP writing scripts for the worried well, but prefers to work with the damaged poor.

In any case white coats aren’t ideal for scrambling across shattered masonry and wading through mud and ash; victims are more interested in a doctor’s skill applying eye-pads than eyeliner.

Dr Sari has just spent a week studying the latest emergency response developments in New Zealand, a country that shares an uncomfortable place with Indonesia on the Ring of Fire. This is the geological feature that blows up mountains, tears the earth asunder and sweeps tree-high waves through villages.

The clean-up is still underway into the February 22 earthquake that killed 181 in the NZ city of Christchurch when a shallow 6.3 shock hit the central business district.

Also underway are the inquiries. Why did one building collapse while its neighbor shook, but stayed upright? Was the city prepared? What things could have been done differently?

One of the first places Dr Sari visited in Wellington was the hospital, which has been fitted with base isolators, a NZ invention. These large plugs of rubber and lead support the building on concrete piles set deep in the ground. It quivers, but doesn’t crumble.

“There’s no point in saving a hospital in an earthquake if the facilities inside can’t function,” said Dr Sari. “Ensuring the building is accessible, has electricity and water and the equipment is intact and working is equally important.”

Dr Sari is division manager for the Yogyakarta-based Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU).

After the fall of the Soeharto regime a series of natural and man-made emergencies demanded a humanitarian response that wasn’t always met by existing services.

Enter YEU in 2001 as an offshoot of the Christian Foundation for Public Health. A map of its activities marked with red dots makes the archipelago look like a bad case of chicken pox.

Dr Sari’s visit to NZ was sponsored by an NGO, the NZ-Indonesia Association and supported by the Indonesian Embassy.

Association president Nigel Connell, a civil engineer who has spent several years in Indonesia, said Dr Sari was invited to NZ to learn about the latest developments in responding to disasters.

She was also asked to share her experiences and skills. In a low-tech society, where natural disasters often occur in remote areas, victims without splints and pain killers must improvise to survive using local resources, like sandals for neck braces and banana leaves for bandages

Dr Sari’s parents are in business but she was more interested in community service. After studying for eight years at Gadjah Mada University she went to Timor Leste and worked in the emergency room at the Dili National Hospital.

Here she served alongside doctors and nurses from several nations where she learned that skills and compassion are more important than appearance and status.

Later she took specialist courses in disease management, studied for a Master of Nursing degree at Australia’s Charles Darwin University, and visited New Orleans after the 2005 hurricane Katrina.

After joining YEU she spent three and a half years in Aceh, arriving shortly
after the tsunami when hundreds of corpses still lay unburied. To get to the disaster site she had to battle soldiers demanding large sums for helicopter transport.

She’s witnessed more traumas and emotional distress than many of her Western counterparts yet remains resilient. Handling obstructionist authorities, distressed people who give up or become enraged, are jealous because they don’t get the best aid or resist help, is all part of the job

Along the way she also found time to marry an IT consultant and become a mother of twins.

“In NZ most families only shop once every week unlike Indonesia where a daily trip to the market is common,” said Dr Sari. “So Kiwi kitchens usually have lots of packaged food which would help the family survive for a few days.

“Deep under the Parliament in Wellington is the National Crisis Management Centre where senior officials can control disaster responses even if all power and communication systems outside have been destroyed.”

Dr Sari said she hoped her visit to NZ would encourage lecturers in disaster management to teach in Indonesia and for academics to use evidence-based research to determine the best emergency responses.

“I retain my medical registration, but feel more comfortable working in the field,” she said. “My visit to NZ has shown that we share many problems, but the responses are different. We need to empower people so they’re ready for disasters and can cope before the professionals come to the rescue.

“The reality is that this takes time. People need to know how to look after themselves and their neighbours. This is the message I want to deliver.”


(Sidebar)

Get Ready, Get Thru

Although NZ has sharp-edged mountains, dense forests and a rugged coastline battered by savage storms, most emergencies are within a helicopter flight of a major hospital.

Instant response crews are well equipped with sat-phones, thermal blankets and all the latest gadgets. The population is constantly battered by public-service messages urging people to join civil defence units and ‘Get Ready, Get Thru’.

Students are taught to ‘Drop, Cover and Hold’ during quakes, meaning dive under a table and hold its leg.

The government hands out check lists so people know what to prepare – flashlights, radios, water purification tablets and first-aid kits. ‘Grab-bags’ of resources can be bought for those too busy to prepare their own.

Not all Kiwi ideas can migrate easily to Indonesia. An education course called What’s the Plan, Stan? used by schools to prepare children for emergencies, features a cartoon dog. Unlike Indonesia, most NZ families have pets.

However the course could be modified to suit Muslim students, and is already being adapted for use in Pacific nations.
For more information see www.getthru.govt.nz

(First published in The Jakarta Post 25 Oct 2011)

Dr Sari's report:

New Zealand Visit Report

The Objectives of the visit :

·         Studying disaster management in New Zealand

·         Exploring the possibility of cooperation in disaster management program such as capacity building (short courses), research on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) issue and inviting experts from New Zealand as a trainer in the training program.

Day One : Monday, October 10^th, 2011

10 AM: Meeting with The Ambassador of Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Agustinus

Riono

·         Sincere gratitude was addressed to Embassy of Republic of Indonesia for all the assistance in realizing this visit.

·         Introduce YAKKUM, YEU and Disaster Oasis also the purpose of the visit to New Zealand which is not only for YAKKUM organization but hopefully also could be useful for the government of Indonesia, especially in raising awareness on the importance of disaster preparedness.

·         Mr. Duncan invited the Embassy to take part in the visit to the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management (MCDEM) and to the bunker, since this visit could help the government learns about the administration and preparedness, therefore the government can operate soon after a disaster happens. 

11.30 AM:  Meeting  with  Megan Devine, General Manager of Robinson Seismic, at Wellington Hospital and Te Papa Museum

At Wellington Hospital

·         Robinson Seismic found a way for buildings to be more resistant to earthquakes by using base isolation system.

·         The  principle  is  that  the  building not directly constructed on the ground, but using a buffer. Therefore,  when an  earthquake happens, the building can follow the movements of the earthquake simultaneously. It will protect not  only  the  building  but  also  its  content.  Thus, one  hospital  can still operate during a disaster.

·         Rubber usage is aimed to reduce shocks and absorb some energy so that the building could go back into its former place.

·         All  water  installations,  electricity  and  pipes  are made flexible (not rigid) so that when a disaster strikes, they are not damaged.

·         Make  water  reservoirs  under  the  parking  floor in the  basement, rather than  on the upper  floor, because if the water reservoirs are built above, it will  aggravate  the shock when an earthquake happens. The below water reservoirs  also  serve to  reduce the  shock  because  the heavier  bottom could serve as an anchor.

·         Build a kind of moat or gap surround the building to give moving space for the  shaking  building which  hopefully could make the building move back into its former place.

·         In   some  spots, the building  is  cut  and  given  rubber so  that  when  an earthquake happens, it does not collide.

·         Stairs  are also made cut or separated  in the middle  so that when an earthquake  happens, the bottom part will be bound by the pole in the bottom  while the upper part would seem floating because there is another

bound on the upper part.

·         This system  can be used for retrofitting the finished building. We can do it by  cutting  the pillar and  then  put  the new  pillar  part that contains base isolation.

Visit the Te Papa Museum

·         Provided detail information about earthquake

·         There was  earthquake  simulation, in  the form  of a room  equipped  with video and furniture which then moved as if there was an earthquake

·         There  were  some I nteresting  games  (made  into  quiz) which also gave information on how to strengthen buildings and furniture in it. For example, if you were in the living room, what were the objects that must be strengthened and by what materials.

·         Fix-Fasten-Forget: to strengthen the attachment of one object into the wall and ensure the object not make much moves or fall on the floor when an earthquake happens.

·         The arrangement in the museum is  interesting that the message can be absorbed well. For example, by laying baby box which is full of ruins from brick walls. We can imagine what happens if there is a baby inside. It is for encouraging people for avoiding the incident with good preparedness.
                                                                                                                      

2 PM: Meeting with Charles Blanch, Director of Emergency Management Team, Ministry of Health 

·         Reading the paper made by Sari Mutia Timur about Challenges of Establishing Hospital Disaster Plan, Charles said New Zealand is also facing the similar problem related to challenges on hospital disaster plan, such as the difficulty of involving everyone in the disaster plan.

·         In New Zealand, the task of Ministry of Health (MOH) is to provide guidelines and policies, monitor the program and set priorities. While the task of District Health Boards (DHB) is to plan, afford, and ensure health services.

·         Interesting message: to reach success in disaster management, we need plagiarism. It means, we may watch and imitate other areas which have successful disaster management program.

·         The challenge of preparedness plans in a small country: a limited budget, the lack number of expertise and capacity to handle extraordinary conditions.

·         Opportunities for preparedness plan in a small country: small political intervention, shorter bureaucracy that leads to faster changing, the risk of terrorism is low, focus on the more efficient system, more innovative contingency plans and the well collaboration with various stakeholders.

·         In New Zealand, after a disaster occurs, the collapse hospital will still be built in the same place

·         Learning from the portaloo (portable toilets) distribution; is not only to distribute it in any place, especially when it is produced in limited number. It is better to be prioritized in certain places such as near the clinic, Pharmacy.

·         In New Zealand, doctor does not hold private practice but opens clinic in group. In every practice, MOH will provide emergency kit for General Practitioner (GP) which contains materials and tools that are often used during emergencies such as gauze, gloves, eye glasses, and so on.

·         Clinical leadership is very important.

·         During crisis phase, there must be one person who is appointed as spokesperson, thus that the information is consistent.

·         Checklist and information about important phone numbers are made in certain size which could be inserted into the pocket and easy to be carried everywhere.

·         It is necessary to have staff rotation so that not all staffs come in one time and then overwhelming, while at the other times there is no people since they are too tired.

·         The need to review preparedness plans regularly.

Day Two: Tuesday, October 11^th, 2011

10 AM: Meeting  with Chandrika Kumaran, Public Education Manager, Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Department (MCDEM)

·         Regulations of Civil Defense published in 2002 followed by strategy to implement those regulations.

·         MCDEM duty is to make people more alert (community resilience), to raise awareness.

·         The information released should be easily accessed by people and it is important to ensure that this information delivered to the public so that they know what to do. 

·         There are 3 levels of MCDEM:

1.      At the National level is the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management

2.      At the Regional level there are 16 Civil Defense Emergency Management Groups

3.      At the District and City level there are 86 Councils

·         Formerly, the received budget is more widely used to create advertisement through brochure and in the Yellow pages which is quite expensive.

·         Since the budget is limited, then the chosen priority falls into children program

·         At the beginning of the program, there were many challenges to be faced. People always assume that disasters happen elsewhere, not in their living place, and happen sometimes, not now.

·         However, when digging the public opinion, we know what the barrier is à that is what we overcome. In addition, when we were faced with the choice of saving someone or something that we love, the community would do anything for their loved ones, not because of the government regulations

·         After the Christchurch earthquake, many parents ask about what can be taught to children, and how to educate the children to save themselves.

·         Campaign Media being used is the mass media like TV, radio, and print out

·         “What The Plan Stan” is made by involving many stakeholders, include teachers and communication writers. So it can be known what is needed by children and what makes children interesting à details are considered in the establishment of the module.

·         Include the selection of animal as a mascot, like a dog for example, which is an animal that can be trusted, close to children, and can open the barrier.

·         Be careful with the selection of a mascot, because there are particular States that are sensitive to certain animal such as dog; if so, than we can choose another animal like cat.

·         There are some teachers who refuse to use the module because the curriculum in New Zealand has been full. Advice from MCDEM is to integrate it with the existing curriculum.

·         This program also includes some home works so that students take this knowledge home. In the process at home, parents get new information from that home works.

·         “What the Plan Stand” Module consists of three parts:

1.      Resources for teachers à is completed already, so as not to burden the teacher because everything have been compiled in the CD Room. Module is arranged to ease the teacher, supplemented by sharing examples of activities and information about simulation, so that the teachers only need to implement it.

2.      Source of learning for children aged 7-12 years

3.      Additional information for students and families

·         Each story contains of information on what to do before, during and after the earthquake that is made attractive; includes photos, videos, quizzes, games and various links for further information, so that when the children want to learn deeper about the module information, they can seek information through the link provided.

·         The material is also equipped with Audio CDs, where children can listen about how to deal with various disasters.

·         There is also a story book for children, because principally, they try to make children interesting to learn and explore, rather than create fear

·         MCDEM also made a video for pre-school children, so they can understand the material easily, as well as for people with special needs such as deaf and blind. The material is also in the Maori language, which content has been adjusted to the Maori culture.

·         This program is evaluated every year, but in the year 2010 held a more in-depth research to get better understanding on the importance of this knowledge and which part is needed to be repaired.

·         It starts to be lots of requests from outside to use this module. This program has a copy right to ensure that the contents are not changed. As long as it is used for education, it does not matter, but if it is used for business, they object it.

·         There is an interesting story that is when one student who got a lesson from his teacher was then having a holiday in Samoa and saw the signs of a tsunami. She could save the lives of his families and many people around the beach. Once she arrived at home, she immediately called her teacher to say thank you.

·         MCDEM also disseminates information in 9 languages, ​​because many migrants in New Zealand do not understand English well.

·         Sometimes MCDEM meets constraints when making the information delivered as simple as possible for the children and made it only in one page. Many experts object it, since much information is edited.

·         National Public education program aims to:

ü      Increase awareness

ü      Improve understanding

ü      Encourage people to be alert

·         The difference between Civil Defense and Insurance is that the insurance is thinking about property while Civil Defense is thinking about saving lives.

Visiting the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC)

Hanging around the bunker under the parliament building. The purpose of building the bunker is to prepare in case of disaster, so that the government can still operate. The bunker is equipped with:

·         Telecommunication: pager, mobile phone, home phone, satellite phone and microwave phone

·         Have independent water installations

·         Have independent generator set

·         Each computer is in standby position, has battery and its reserves

·         There are several meeting rooms

·         Resting place

·         The dining room; where the equipments are fastened to the wall so that when the disaster happens, it do not move or broken until put its surrounding in danger, such as microwave, water heater, stove, etc

·         There are logistics of food for 50 people for 3 weeks

·         There is first aid room

·         There is a room for media and room for interview

·         The barrier is, if people stay for days inside, people cannot get enough sunlight and fresh air

Principally they are prepared, so they have independent electrical system, communication and water storage, so all facilities have been prepared.

12 AM: Having lunch with Dr. Miriam Hughes, PhD, Public Education Advisor from the Joint Center for Disaster Research, School of Psychology

·         She has read the paper of Challenges of Establishing Hospital Disaster Plan, and all mentioned problems are similar to the problems encountered by Dr. Miriam.

·         Dr. Miriam had experience working in China and is currently focus to work on topic: why the disaster plan did not work, what parts that cannot be implemented, so that it can be repaired.

·         Interested to have research in Indonesia

·         There  is  an  invitation  from  “Call  for  Paper” (due to April 1^st, 2012) with topic:  from  warnings  to  effective  response  and  recovery and the Short Course on Emergency Management

1.30 PM: Meeting with Fred Mecoy, Wellington Emergency Management Office (WEMO)

·         Formerly the building is often not used, so it disposes the resources, but now is used for training or meeting.

·         WEMO is intended to make people prepare to face disaster, can help each other when disaster happens, and recover quickly from a state of disaster and emergency.

·         Operates under the 2002 CDEM Regulations.

·         The office building although from the outside seems like a regular house but is prepared with earthquake-resistant design. It is made of wood and do not use nails, just nuts. The tables in the room can be folded so it can be neater.

·         The communication room is arranged in such a way that the system could be more effective.

·         This building has its own water supply, generator, and drainage, so that when a disaster happens, they can be independent and continue to operate independently.

·         They have a dining room and rest room, so that the staff’s comfort is noted. By considering the basic needs of the staffs, they are expected to be more focus and productive, rather than thinking about trivial things.

·         They have a program to recruit volunteers with the criteria as well. The preferred volunteer is the community leader, intelligent, has skills, and willing to be volunteer for 2 years. After that, he will be trained for 7 weeks. Since the investment spent for volunteer is large enough, therefore they also demand long commitment.

·         The volunteers are taught about personal preparedness, health and safety, stress management, welfare, information management, how to analyze it, radio communications, traffic management, water distribution, etc.

·         Volunteers should be involved in 4 events per year, includes helping local school or social events.

·         As a volunteer they can choose the level of involvement:

ü      Regular volunteers are people who concern about community, have completed the training, and want to participate regularly in monthly training and meeting.

ü      Reserve volunteers are people whose skills are needed after a disaster such as nurses, builders, etc; and do not have much time, but can attend at least 1 training per year.

ü      Corporate volunteers are companies or organizations that can help before and during disaster. For example, they can provide storage for emergency goods or by allowing their staffs to attend one day training.

·         If anything happens, people are asked to contact the nearest Civil Defense Centre, so they need to know where the nearest local Civil Defense is, as well as the local preparedness plan includes the evacuation routes, and the safe meeting point. 

·         At times of disaster, Civil Defense Centers are managed by volunteers. Usually the location is in the school or community centers.

·         Also listen to local radio station, where the Civil Defense Centers will give announcement or instruction.

·         Center Civil Defense task is to collect information about the impact of disaster and provide information for WEMO.

·         The ‘control’ has horizontal line, while the ‘command’ has vertical line.

·         In New Zealand, the term ‘control and command’ is avoided, so it is replaced with ‘control and coordination’. An Emergency Operation Center (EOC) cannot give orders to the senior police officer, but only ask for their help to observe certain parts which are included in the authority and duty of the police officer.

·         Working closely with police officers and firefighters.

·         Provide services to deliver emergency information through mobile phone, as long as you register first. Information by phone is sent in case of a serious disaster or dangerous condition, such as major accident, terrorist, etc.

·         In New Zealand, you will be directly connected to the Police, Firefighters, and Ambulance, once you dial 111. Just select the one that you want to contact. With the simple telephone number, it could be memorized easily even by children.

·         It is emphasized that at the time of disaster, communication must be hectic. It is expected that the people call only if necessary.

·         The weakness in New Zealand is the lack of communication and individualism (do not know about their neighbors).

·         WEMO use various ways to increase awareness. Sometimes they held seminar at lunchtime, because in New Zealand everyone went to lunch at the café. There is an awareness week, which could be held at the mall, school or university by opening stand. They create innovative ballpoint that contains preparedness message.

·         Preparedness campaign materials are made simple, so that people want to read them, and not feel difficult to do it. The material’s lay out is seriously concerned includes the color selection. This material received an award from the International Association of Emergency Managers 2010 Global Award-Public Awareness.

·         The essence of their campaign is about the people that are expected to be able to prepare themselves to survive for 3-5 days once a disaster happens, without any assistance from other parties. Recommendation from Civil Defense is to store drinking water and food that meets the need for 3 days.

·         The items that are included in the Emergency Survival Items:

ü      At least 3 liters of drinking water per person per day for the needs of 3 days. More inventory will be better. If calculated for washing, bathing, and cooking, the need per person is 15 liters per day. If having a pet, the needs will increase. Store the water in a dark place; do not expose it directly to sunlight. Do not forget to replace them every 12 months (tap the date of the filling in the water bottle).

ü      Food supply for 3 days in minimum.

ü      Alternative cooking utensils, such as barbecue, can opener, and knife.

ü      Warm and waterproof clothing and sturdy shoes.

ü      Emergency blanket.

ü      Important document.

ü      Drugs and supplements for baby.

ü      Soap anda toilet paper.

ü      Flashlight with spare batteries.

ü      Radio with spare batteries.

ü      Notes and pen.

ü      First aid kit.

·         WEMO reminds the importance of family planning. For example, how can one family are united when they are separated during a disaster, while the telephone and public transportation is not active. So, it must be determined about what are needed to be done, and where is the possible place to meet. It would be better if there are contact persons outside the city, so they can contact that person when separated. Make sure the children understand this plan.

·         In family planning, please ensure about the one who is in charge to pick up the children from school, and then give his name to the school, so that the school is well informed about him.

·         In addition, determine the one who has to turn off the gas and electricity. Everyone should know the place to turn the electricity and gas off.

·         The challenge for Indonesia is that the people do not like to read and rarely use or read map.

·         New Zealand implements the building codes and earthquake-resistant structures.

·         The best advice when the earthquake starts to strike is ‘Drop, Cover and Hold’. Drop down, take cover under solid furniture, and hold tight, or take cover away from the building to the street, or away from windows, bookcases, etc. Actually, the movement caused by earthquakes rarely cause death or wound directly. Death and wound due to the earthquake is mostly caused by the crumbling walls, scattered glass, and falling objects due to vibration.

3.30 PM:  Meeting with the Director of several PhD Candidates at Massey Joint Center for Disaster Research

·         Share about YEU, that as an NGO had a lot of data but rarely use it because of the limited time.

·         On the other side, YEU also has the demand to ensure that the handling which has been done is correct and is based on scientific evidence.

·         Today, what has been done is little research on accountability in Pariaman to prove that YEU is accountable not only to donors but also to the community.

·         Question: in what level does the community be involved? Answer: since the beginning of the process, like assessment, planning, implementation, up to monitoring and evaluation. Comments: very good because it is rarely carried out by NGOs.

·         Question: what is expected from this visit? Answer: there will be cooperation to conduct joint research and there are one or two staffs who will teach at YEU Training Center. Training Center also functions as laboratory for YEU.

·         Training Center is made with the intent to disseminate YEU experience so that all people can get such learning as what we get. YEU not only provides assistance during disasters but also provides knowledge and skills to make the community more prepared when disaster strikes again.

·         Invitation to examine the psychosocial impact on Lapindo refugees because lost of PhD candidates who examine the condition found the influence of post-disaster on the family. Lapindo case is included in chronic disaster, and not many agencies that can help, while the attention from the government is also small. So this study can be used as an advocacy from neutral party (expert).

·         Sharing: Katrina refugees who still get no indemnity from the insurance provider, since the incident is considered flood only, and not a disaster.  On one hand there is rejection from the community near the new residential who refuse the coming of the refugees surround them , with reason that their existence will lower the value of their property, will increase the crime, etc.

·         YEU also tells about how to give first aid medical training by using materials that are easily found around them like slippers, banana bark, door, etc.

·         The comment of Massey director: very interesting, we will follow this up and allow Massey to create link with YEU Training Center.

·         Joint Center for Disaster Research has started in 2006 in partnership with GNS Science

6 PM: Presentation at Tawa, Rotary Club

·         Mr. William Russell explains the history PRY and its relation to the population of New Zealand through Mr. Collin.

·         Question: When YEU provides capacity building for the population around Merapi Mountain, how is the house design looks like? Answer: People are actually refusing to be relocated. They even want to live in the dangerous area because after the eruption, usually the soil becomes fertile. YEU gives understanding that the area is really dangerous and uninhabitable. For the case of Merapi Mountain, we only suggest the people to move. There is no special house design to face the mountain eruption. But to face the earthquake, YEU gives capacity building for the builders about how to build a house that is more resistant to earthquake.

·         Question: Is there any difficulty in giving response at Myanmar? Answer: Yes, at the beginning, YEU thought that the condition was similar to Aceh, but it was different. YEU found difficulties to hold a training in remote areas since it is not permitted by the military for more than three people mingle together. So we had to bring them into town to get training.

·         Question: how to make the society well prepared? Answer: When disaster strikes, YEU provides response or service. But after that, YEU do not leave directly, but provide additional knowledge and skills for the community to be prepared for facing the disaster. After that, together with the community create the preparedness plan and determine the evacuation routes as well as the safe points. So if a disaster occurs again, then the people will be more prepared, especially during a disaster, people sometimes also become the first responder.

·         Sharing about Disaster training center: YEU wants to share the experience that they have gained to others, not to be kept alone. Therefore, besides providing assistance or services during a disaster, they also provide skills and knowledge, so that people can be more prepared to face disaster.

·         Sharing about Logistic: at the beginning of the disaster, YEU distribute the goodies needed by the community. We ensure that it is not only the basic needs that are fulfilled, but also their fundamental rights. The challenge is on the abundant of assistance provided that are not sensitive to the needs of specific group, such as the lack of sanitary napkins, or the abundant of instant noodles but no baby food. At the time of rehabilitation reconstruction, YEU discuss together about what is needed by the  community, so it is not only from our point of view, but we also have to make sure that they mention what they need, not what they want.

·         Mr. Bill adds the information that Mr. Collin just helps to search the funds, rather than being part of the management and he does not intend to intervene.
 

Day Three; Wednesday, October 12, 2011

9.30 AM: Visit GNS Science (Geological and Nuclear Science)

·         Established since 2001, GNS aims to improve the detection and understanding of geological hazards. It is expected that the resulted information can help the community to be more secure.

·         GNS supports Emergency Management Agencies to plan and prepare the more effective disaster response. GNS also has interest in increasing public awareness.

·         The last GNS project in Indonesia, their client is NZ Aid. Project name: Increasing the Disaster Risk Management Capacity of Local Government in Indonesia through DRM training workshops and guidelines for local government and partner agencies. Description: Development and delivery of 5 year targeted program of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) training workshops and supporting guidelines aimed at both senior Indonesia executives and practitioners in local government and partner agencies.

·         GNS Science has several programs in various regions in Indonesia. Beginning in 1995 in Sumatra, Aceh, Yogyakarta, Nias, and Central Java, GNS also ever had helped the AHA (ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management) center in Jakarta.

·         Currently GNS has Disaster Management program with the Gadjah Mada University.

·         In Samoa, GNS Science involved the community to participate in the program and also paid attention to the local culture. Danger signs and evacuation sites are discussed together so that it can be understood and accepted by the community. The communities are also taught to use the Global Positioning System (GPS).

·         The danger signs that are placed; are not only showing that the area has high risk but also showing the evacuation routes and safe areas.

·         Ensuring sustainability of the program is very challenging. Programs that cost benefit and can be distributed, can be regarded as a sustainable program.

Visiting the Victoria University to see the Victoria University Awareness Week

As an effort to raise the awareness of preparedness, Civil Defense held a mini exhibition such as the spreading of preparedness messages through brochure, pen, and booklet. The exhibition is maintained by volunteers.

3 PM: Meeting with New Zealand Aid at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

·         Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) is responsible for managing New Zealand Aid Program and cooperate with various partners including governmental organizations, regional and multilateral bodies such as civil societies, NGOs, community groups, private sectors, consultants and contractors.

·         MFAT has several ways in terms of managing the fund through NZ Aid programs. Direct assistance is given to help communities and individuals meet their basic needs such as providing funds for community health projects. The indirect aid helps create and support social, economy, culture and environmental conditions to reduce poverty. For example is by providing technical advisors to provide capacity building and institutional strengthening.

·         Having a bilateral aid program in Indonesia which is the largest program outside the Pacific.

·         Regarding the AHA Center, it is a very challenging program. NZ Aid helps technically, while Indonesia is the task force.

·         Their focus today are:

ü      Promote sustainable economic development

ü      Human resource development

ü      The safe and fair community

Day Four: Thursday, October 13^th, 2011

10.30 AM: Visit the Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand (EMANZ) to meet Peter Healy

·         Is part of Tai Poutini Polytechnic.

·         Provides various outstanding emergency management education courses with good quality and internationally recognized certificate.

·         Recognized by IAEM (International Association of Emergency)

·         EMANZ also can provide training which is based on customer’s need. The training has been equipped with module and training material that are multiplied by EMANZ independently.

·         Training participants come from various backgrounds as well as from companies.

·         The training method is more on practices and discussions; lecturing is not much, so that the participants are made active and interacts with other participants, for example is by providing a case or scenario.

·         Some examples on the existing training packages:

CDEM Emergency Preparedness, consists of several trainings such as:

ü      Core Skills

ü      CDEM Welfare

ü      Workplace First Aid

ü      Aircraft Safety

ü      Fire Extinguisher, etc

Emergency Flood Response, consists of several trainings such as:

ü      Flood response

ü      Swift Water Safety

ü      Swift Water Responder

ü      Navigation

ü      CDEM Communication, etc

Emergency Storm Response, consists of several trainings such as:

ü      Storm Response

ü      Navigation

ü      CDEM Communications

ü      Chainsaw operations: for the responder or contractor who sometimes uses a chainsaw to clear the road or make access

ü      Hazmat Safety, etc

Emergency Rescue, consists of several trainings such as:

ü      Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Awareness, for responder who responds to the collapsed building such as those found in the earthquake and landslide

ü      Workplace First Aid

ü      General rescue

ü      Start Triage

ü      Pre-Hospital Emergency Care, includes the ability to perform on-site assessment and management, treatment and management of patients, monitoring patients, moving patients, and using the DC shock

CDEM Response Leadership, consists of several trainings such as:

ü      Leadership

ü      CIMS (Coordinating Incident Management System)

ü      Command Tactics

ü      CDEM Welfare Supervisor

ü      Media Awareness etc

·         Training held from 1 day up to 5 days

·         EMANZ is interested to cooperate with YEU in order to enrich the training, since YEU has experiences in the field

Survive-It

·         Communities are expected to be able to survive independently for at least 3 days

·         Provide some tools such as:

ü      Office kits, includes the Civil Defense Cabinets or wheelie kits, usually provided in offices or schools

ü      First Aid kits more than 1-100 people

ü      Get away kits/grab and go kits

ü      Water storage tank of 5 liters up to 25,000 liters

ü      Torches and light sticks

ü      Radio

ü      Emergency Equipment such as stretcher

ü      Pandemic supplies such as masks, gloves and glasses

ü      Emergency food can be stored for 5 years. 1 package can meet the needs for 3 days per person. No need to be cooked or special preparation, solid, and economical. It is made into solid so that it does not take too much space. It does not need water and does not make thirsty. It contents of mineral and vitamin. The taste was not created like chocolate, sweet, or very delicious to be eaten. The goal is that people will not like these foods too much until they even often consume it and not save it anymore. So, it is to avoid the daily consumption, in the absence of disaster

ü      .There is a larger Survival food package, which is for 5-7 people for 3 days. It can be stored for 3 days. The items included in the package are sachets of food that can be eaten whether cold or heated, instant noodles, chocolate, powdered drink that can be taken with hot water or cold water, water purification tablets, and water-resistant lighters.

ü      Blanket to avoid cold weather. Be careful, because long time usage can create the discomfort since the body is seemed to be boiled / hot.

ü      Home kits include the survivor kits and shelter

ü      The package for school children

·         These tools should be available in homes, schools, offices and working environment as well as in the car.

·         Civil Defense cabinet is the zinc coated steel cabinet to protect from damages and fires. The stored items include the stairs, saws, hammers, axes, and knives.

·         What is included in the personal safety are:

1.      Blanket

2.      Hand washing liquid

3.      Gloves

4.      Mask

5.      Eye glasses

6.      Helm

7.      Whistle

8.      Ear plugs

9.      Roll tissue

10.  Survival pad

·         Unfortunately, the guard who welcomed us was just worked for few days. She informed that according to information, the radio that uses battery is more recommended than the radio without a battery (with dynamo), but unfortunately she could not provide information about the reason.

·         Products are colored in orange to be easily seen, although customer can order it in other colors.

·         The safe place to store the equipments is in the garage, warehouse, in front of the front door, or other location which is possibly experienced the minor damage during an earthquake.

·         Cooperate with Civil Defense and EMANZ so that the messages delivered

to the community are the similar.

·         Offer trainings such as:

ü      Seminar on Fire Safety

ü      Evacuation Courses

ü      Fire Extinguisher Courses

ü      Height Safety and Rescue Courses

ü      Civil Defense Emergency Management Courses

·         To ensure the maintenance of tools and continuous supplies, Survive-It provides service to ease their loyal customers namely:

·         A review and restocking of existing inventories.

Survive-It will come to the workplace to discuss and review the existing tools. From the results of the meeting, they will make a report which includes details of equipment’s prices and supplies that are recommended (to replace the depleted items or to add more items). This report is made based on tools that are already existed in the workplace, the number of working people, the size of company, and recommendation from the Civil Defense.

·         A six monthly or annual inspection.

Survive-it also provides a six monthly or annual inspection to ensure all emergency equipments are in place and can be used including the stock of food checking (whether there are expired items or not). Later, they will make a report with recommendations to replace or add the equipments including its pricing details. This process will ensure that existing equipments and supplies are in accordance with the Civil Defense recommendations.

·         Filling the water container or water refills.

Survive-it offers service for water filing or water refills every 6 or 12 months. At each examination, the number of employee that is compared with the available amount of water is always considered. If you have filled the water or having water refills, the date will be tapped.

Day Five: Friday, October 14^th, 2011

9.45 AM: Visit New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services to meet Paul Barber

·         New Zealand Council of Christian Social Services (NZCCSS) represents six denominations: Anglican Care Network, Baptist, Catholic, Presbyterian social services agencies, Methodist and Salvation Army. They are responsible for 500 social services locations throughout New Zealand.

·         Services are provided for children, families, the elderly, emergency services, housing, finance, disability, dependency, community development, and job placement.

·         Sharing about similar concern on the importance of disaster preparedness, partnership, and equality.

·         Sharing about the role of church in Indonesia in which the present church also held a simulation and received preparedness training includes knowing evacuation routes, security, and safety. Activities involving other religions are also begun to be improved.

·         Encourage the church to take more strategic role during a disaster such as information or psychosocial support.

·         CWS does not help the ACT (Action by Churchess Together) Indonesia directly, but they do send aid to the ACT

·         NZCCSS emphasized attention to the poor and marginalized people.

·         Insurance sometimes cannot provide full compensation.

·         Hoping to exchange experiences and learn each other about church services in the respective States.

1 PM: Visit Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to meet Steve Brazier, Director of Security and Risk Group (SRG)

·         SRG assignment is to lead governmental inter-agency coordination. Coordination will be easier if mingle in one room, so that the coordination will not be a matter. Security and Risk Group will provide direction in terms of strategy, policy and operations to strengthen national security and stability.

·         SRG works with government agencies, local government, and national security unit that aims to:

ü      Strengthen early warning on the security issues that emerged

ü      Review and evaluate the potential risks that affect the national security

ü      Identify the potential of vulnerabilities and its consequences

ü      Set options to control risks

ü      Develop management strategies for government

ü      Coordinate planning and response about security risks

·         This department has full authority to give directions and if necessary, close the access so that the visitors could not enter as they like.

·         SRG needs to understand the latest security risks that arise to develop long term strategies of mitigation, preparedness, and risk management.

·         SRG is responsible for giving appropriate, relevant, accurate and punctual advice to the Prime Minister about issues that affect the security conditions of New Zealand. SRG’s key role is supporting the Prime Minister in leading the rapid national response which is interconnected in handling the security and disaster crisis, and ensuring the Prime Minister to be always informed on important issues.

·         If the disaster is not severe, the one that becomes the leader is the Local council, since the Local council is the available resource.

·         Need to consider about the importance of staff rotation because staff cannot work continuously, since it will not be effective. If they are forced, few days later will even be counter-productive because of stress.

·         Information management is very necessary

·         Determine who will be the spoke person, select people who have integrity and trustable. This person should always provide information and data consistently. Do not always change this person, and select the senior staff.

·         New Zealand society has zeal: CAN DO SPIRIT and it is so important to maintain the spirit.

·         Preparedness culture is really strong, so they are always preparing for the worst conditions: ‘What Happens if ...’ make people think ahead and are prepared.

·         New Zealand society has also been used to store foods because mostly shopping the daily needs once a week or more.

·         The people are also used to be independent, try to rely on their individual power.

Presentation at the Embassy

Embassy invited a number of guests who have been visited for 1 week and other invited guests. The presentation is intended to explain the intention and purpose of visit as well as share about what has been learned while in New Zealand.
Discussion:

·         Preparedness is very useful if applied in Indonesia, but it also needs support from the Government to be successful, cannot just rely on NGO  (Non Government Organization) or one stakeholder only. NGO must cooperate with the government. It is good to do two-way approach, whether top down and bottom up.

·         In connection with the problems in implementing the Hospital disaster plan that seems to be similar between Indonesia and New Zealand, what are the learning gained during the visit in New Zealand? If only emphasizes the importance of disaster plan and its connection to the accreditation, or the requirement from the government, then the disaster plan will be difficult to appy. But by emphasizing that once the disaster plan is implemented, it will save our loved ones, then that is the stronger booster.

·         Are the things learned in New Zealand will be applied in Indonesia? Obviously must be adjusted to the context of Indonesia. It cannot be adopted directly, but has to be modified due to the different culture. For example, the people in New Zealand are used to store food, but in Indonesia, people tend to shop food ingredients every day because the market is near.

·         Sharing about YEU that has Training Center which trains people, children, local government and NGO to be prepared; for example are medical first aid and disaster preparedness. The trainings are more emphasized on local approach, so communitu try to use the tools that are available surround the community, such as the use of slippers to replace the neck brace/neck collar, or use banana stalk to replace splint. So, YEU is not only do emergency response during disaster, but also try to equip the people with knowledge and skills so that they are prepared for facing the disaster and know what to do when a disaster occurs again, because at the time of disaster, it is the people who become first responder.

·         Sharing about YEU who experienced about how the treatment from various other NGOs is actually made the beneficiaries jealous, since they received different assistance from different NGOs. For example is the housing aid in the tsunami project. Although formerly the people’s house is the stage house, but since some NGOs build permanent houses, people then required the permanent house to be built.

Day Six: October 15^th, 2011

Social gathering (Arisan) of Indonesian mothers

Introduce YEU as disaster response and preparedness agency, and tell the work as well as experience carried out by YEU these far.
There had been interesting questions: “Which is more recommended for safety; to hide under the table or beside the table, because there is information about the

 triangle of life”.

Answer: if we read the materials in ‘What the plan Stan’, there will be discussion about it, and hiding under the table is still the best suggestion, instead of beside the table.

Lesson learned

·         Important information both rules and important numbers are made as simple as possible with considerable size that made it possible to be brought anywhere and anytime; for example is the message that can be kept into the pocket.

·         For hospital, at the time of disaster, it is not only the building which is concerned, but also the facilities inside that are possible to be saved, so that the hospital still able to operate.

·         In delivering message, try to deliver the strong message, so that other people will remember and willing to follow.

·         Preparedness education should be considered nationally and introduced early especially to children and for all people, as well as people with special needs, and also to give knowledge to the parents (due to the homework that is carried home).

·         The contents of preparedness materials should be arranged seriously, so that the material is complete and in detail. Therefore, preparedness becomes easy and simple that eventually makes people feel happy to comply it.

·         Preparedness plan is made in detail and always think of the alternative arrangement.

·         Always ready for the worst. People are also prepared to be able to survive independently for 3 days or more.

·         The communication system is made simple and easy to remember; for example, by dialing 111 you will be connected with the Police, Ambulance, and Fire Fighters.

·         Training is considered seriously, modules and materials have been prepared before.

·         All stakeholders that is associated with the disaster and preparedness cooperate and complement each other, not working on their own. The message delivered is also the similar.

·         Preparedness campaigns are carried out in various ways.

·         In meetings, at the welcoming speech, it is necessary to mention the exit door and the mingle point or evacuation place.

Similarities

·         Located in disaster prone areas

·         Have attention on the issue of disaster risk reduction

·         Understand that disaster cannot be prevented but can be reduced on the

impact

Differences

New Zealand	Indonesia
High awareness	Still Low and often happens misused like: ·      Tsunami issue is often blown after the earthquake, so there is a chance to loot ·      When the ambulance passed, road users do not want to pull over because in some cases the ambulance is in fact not bringing patient or even empty but asking a way ·      Patient in hospital hides their triage status, because they assume that is their card is green, they will be rarely visited, compare to those with the red card.
High preparedness, always ready with the worst conditions ... What Happens if ...	Low because consider the disaster does not come any time and happens elsewhere
The preparedness campaign is integrated, not running on their own	Preparedness campaign is running on their own
They have reading culture	Still low
Get used to read a map, so when talking about distance is not relative	Still low, so that when talking about distance, only say ‘far’ or ‘near’, which size is relative
Shopping daily needs once a week, so accustomed to store food	To the market every day, so rarely store food for a long time
Can do spirit	Not yet familiarized, tend to accept the situation as it is

Sharing

·          Related to preparedness, YEU office noticed the parking of vehicle, which is facing the exit gate, so it will ease the exit of vehicles especially in case of disaster.

·          In Israel, the condition of the elderly and persons with disabilities still able to be monitored, in order to ensure their safety and security. For those elderly who live alone, they will use two-way transmitter that has been connected with the Yad Sarah computer for 24 hours. By pressing the button in their bracelet, they will be automatically connected to the organization’s control room by phone, where there is a screen that displays the name of the caller, his address, his medical history, the language he is speaking, the telephone numbers of his relatives, neighbors, doctors, and the nearest health clinic. Usually they call because of the serious problem or just want to talk.
Website address: http://www.yadsarah.org/index.asp?id=198

  

Follow-up Plan after visit

Plan	Time
Sharing experience with YEU staff	November 18th, 2011
Review on the SOP of YEU Disaster Management	November 19th - Desember 2nd, 2011
Review on the Child Preparedness module	Januari 4th – Januari 25th, 2012
Review on the Disaster Plan module	Desember 2nd - Desember 23rd, 2011
Creating preparedness messages	November 19th – Desember 23rd, 2011
Establishment of YAKKUM Medical Response Team	On going
Conducting training and coaching on Hospital Disaster Plan	ToR has been proposed, waiting for feedback from other hospital’s unit
Informing the courses offered by Massey to other stakeholders including YAKKUM, and listing those who are interested and anyone who's interested	Done. Now is only waiting for feedback from other YAKKUM’s units.
Discussing the idea of ​​sending graduates of Nurses and Midwives from YAKKUM to New Zealand with  educational unit	November 14th, 2011
Informing the announcement of ‘Call for Paper’ on April 2012 in New Zealand	Done
Create networking with all stake holders that have been visited	On going
Massey Joint Center For Disaster Research • Proposing a joint research offer • Create a joint proposal for the short course’s fund	On going
Emergency Management Academy of New Zealand (EMANZ)   Create a joint proposal for the short course’s fund	On going
Contact the Centre for Disaster Studies of UGM for possible cooperation	End of November 2011
Preparedness preparedness campaign held each year	At the end of October 2011 has been held a series of preparedness campaign for children and teenagers. For the year 2012: the campaign is targeted for women For the year 2013: the campaign is targeted for the elderly For the year 2014: the campaign is targeted for people with disabilities
Plans for the Government of Indonesia: ·         Region: Participate / facilitate the programs for building disaster preparedness capacity of BPBD and the villages affected by the eruption of Merapi (and other disaster) by ensuring the contingency plan includes the materials studied in New Zealand ·         National: Collaborate with BNPB in preparing Yogyakarta to become the host of AMCDRR, and ensure the community-based disaster preparedness becomes one of the materials that will be discussed on the agenda ·         National : Explore the feasibility of developing the advanced disaster preparedness education	On going
In meetings, at the welcoming speech, it is necessary to mention the exit door and the mingle point or evacuation place.	Soon

Related Link

·         www.eq-iq.org.nz

·         www.whatstheplanstan.govt.nz

·         www.gethtru.govt.nz

·         www.getprepared.co.nz

·         www.gw.govt.nz/it-s-easy-get-prepared-for-an-emergency

·         www.civildefence.govt.nz

·         www.wellington.govt.nz

·         www.massey.ac.nz/massey/home.cfm

·         www.gns.cri.nz

·         www.emanz.ac.nz

·         www.survive-it.co.nz

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