UGM Graduate School is committed to developing human resource training related to disaster emergency response management. This was said by Dean of the School, Prof. Ir. Siti Malkhamah, M.Sc., Ph.D., to reporters after opening International Seminar on Coordination in Emergency Response Management on Monday (15/10) at the seminar room of the School.
According to Siti Malkamah, capacity enhancement process could be done by cooperation system between stakeholders to maximise the competence, grow access and partnership. “Later we hope to increase disaster resilience commitment by sharing sciences, practices, tools, or expertise,” she said.
She said UGM had Disaster Management master programme to be a reference for disaster management for institutions related to disaster impact handling. “We try to encourage human resource capacity enhancement so that handling during emergency response, reconstruction and rehabilitation would run better and faster,” she said.
Deputy Head of Operations and Preparedness of Basarnas, Brig. Gen. Nugroho Budi Wiryanto, said Indonesia was not free from disasters as it lies on the Ring of Fire. He said Basarnas gave help in disaster mitigation since the start but capacity enhancement of Basarnas is still required. “As an emergency response agency, Basarnas has to be able to respond future challenges in increasing SAR Urban capacity,” he said.
Budi further appreciated UGM for the training for volunteers and members of agencies in disaster mitigation. “This training is expected to increase the disaster response methodology according to international standard,” he said.
Head of Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Yogyakarta, Biwara Yuswantana, said despite the various areas of Indonesia experiencing disasters, but the handling was different from each other. “In each earthquake, the case and problems are different that call for different handling,” he said.
Based on government experience, cooperation enhancement and synergy are needed between local governments. “This training can increase the capacity and potential of the regions to respond to natural incidents,” he said.