West Sumatera Earthquake: UGM Formed a Disaster Early Response Unit

As a form of care to victims of the earthquake in Padang (30/9), UGM formed a Disaster Early Response Unit (DERU) for West Sumatera. A day after that disaster,  in cooperation with the Sardjito General Hospital, this team immediately sent a medical team of 20 people to West Sumatera .

According to Prof. Dr. Techn. Ir. Danang Parikesit, M.Sc., the establishment of this team was based on UGM’s experience following the disasters  in Aceh, Nias, Yogyakarta, Papua, Bengkulu, Tasikmalaya, and West Java. Danang hoped that DERU team could do two main things in West Sumatera . “We will run programs in operational and policy levels. In operational level, we will do emergency responses, reconstructions, and rehabilitation,” he said on Friday (2/10) at Leadership Meeting Room, UGM.

It was explained that the plans for one week included base camp establishment and field coordination. The emergency response team would follow and work there for a month. UGM would also give technical aid such as disaster data management, including rehabilitation and reconstruction programs. “UGM will also establish an assistance team for rehabilitation and reconstruction by sending KKN PPM students to assist people there for two years, and to reduce disaster risks for approximately three years,”he explained.

He added that whilst on the mission, the DERU team is expected to coordinate with some related institutions in West Sumatera, such as Andalas State University, Padang State University, Tamansiswa Padang University, Muhammadiyah Padang University, Yogyakarta Government and National Education Board in Padang, etc.

Danang explained that for emergency response, rehabilitation and reconstruction programs, the team will collect data of victims and Damage and Loss Assessment (DLA), evacuation, health and psychological service, logistic distribution, disaster response support system (electricity, energy, telecommunication, water, sanitation, broadcast-outreach) preparations and also temporary shelter.

He also explained that the team will conduct geological evaluation and seismic, building evaluation, agricultural livehood program preparations and UMKM, administrative assistance, national and independent international resources mobilization, database preparation and blue print arrangement of RR, Built Back Better, West Sumatera.  

“The medical team which consists of 20 people is already there. This will be followed by another team of 10 lecturers and 40 students of KKN PPM Disaster Mitigation, 4 units of students organizations, Mapagama, Menwa and scouts,” he ended.