BULAKSUMUR (KU) – Disaster Response Unit (DERU) continues to send humanitarian aid to IDPs affected by the eruptions of Mt. Merapi. Since 28 October, DERU has sent aid to 145 IDP barracks spread in 7 regencies, which are Magelang (31), Boyolali (11), Sleman (87), Klaten (7), Bantul (6), Kulon progo (1) and Gunung Kidul (2). "Currently, we're focusing on delivering aid, particularly logistical, to IDP barracks," DERU Chief, Slamet Widiyanto, M.Si, said on Monday (15/11), at the DERU office in Bulaksumur D-7.
Slamet said that for the delivery, DERU was assisted by 300 student volunteers. Partners that send humanitarian aid through DERU are, among others, Basnas, Sikib, Foreing Affairs Ministry, Indonesian Red Cross, National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Basarnas, TV One, BNI, state and private universities and the general public.
Despite this focus, DERU also actively conduct programs in education, health, social program, infrastructure and environment. “On education, we're compiling data about schools for the construction of emergency school,” he said.
Slamet explained that in its programs, DERU involved disaster units of UGM, including health team, technical service team, animal health team, animal science team, PSBA, psychology team, geography team and several student units. On the field, DERU activities include 7 areas including management, health (physical/mental), infrastructure, government and public administration, livelihoods/SMEs, hazard and environment as well as education.
The health team (physical/mental) has dispatched a medical team (doctors/nurses), opening health service, sending medicine and medical equipment, ambulance and survey on psycho-social effects. Future programs include constant provision of doctors and nurses, service for mental health and trauma and post-disaster psychosocial recovery.
On infrastructure, DERU makes building assessment of damaged buildings, need assessment in barracks, SOP for disaster handling, survey on bridge and residences around rivers prone to lava flooding, mapping of IDP distribution, and input for post-disaster relocation/rehabilitation. "It includes the sustainability of plan to guide reconstruction/rehabilitation processes,” he said.
On health, DERU UGM, has opened posts in 9 barracks, Maguwoharjo and UNY stadiums, Scout's barrack, Batalyon 403, Pangukan stadium, Big Mosque of Sleman, UPN, Gelanggang Mahasiswa UGM, Purna Budaya UGM and Youth Center. UGM team cooperates with Health Agency work on shift managing the health post. “Each post is provided with health equipment, medicines, and doctors and nurses working morning to night,” he explained.