PMI Establishes Disaster-Alert School

TEMPO Interactive, Semarang:The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in Central Java will provide disaster-alert training at schools in the area, Muhammad Nasir, Central Javas PMI spokesperson told Tempo yesterday. To test the program, the training will run in 18 different schools, from the elementary to high school level, in Tegal, Kudus and Grobogan regencies. The program is in collaboration with the German Red Cross, noted Nasir, adding the program was slated to begin in early January.For the past two months, Central Javas PMI has provided training facilitators and material, such as information about potential disasters and how to minimize their impact. From the training it is expected children will learn about the potential risks of natural disasters in their area and how to help casualties. In the future, similar training will be conducted at other schools in the region. All areas in Central Java are prone to disaster due to geographical conditions of the region, Nasir said. At a Red Cross meeting in Semarang last weekend, Muhammad Muas, the PMI chief of Red Cross Youth and Volunteers, said that by 2011 the organization would focus on having volunteers in every neighborhood. All areas in Indonesia are prone to natural disasters. We cannot just rely on the existing volunteers, Mus said. The PMI currently has 36,850 volunteers nationwide, with more than 3,000 in Central Java. The disaster ring-one area includes Merapi, Kebumen and Cilacap, which are prone to earthquakes and tsunamis, while Karanganyar, Purworejo and Temanggung are prone to landslides. SOHIRIN