The potential occurrence of natural disasters in Indonesia, such as volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes, or landslides, is still threatening. In order not to minimize the casualties, one of the efforts is a campaign about the importance of disaster risk reduction through improved understanding and awareness. This is what underlies the organization of Training of Trainers (ToT) for development planners in the region by the UGM Centre for Disaster Studies (PSBA) in cooperation with Center for Trainers’ coaching, education and training of National Development Planning Agency (Pusbindiklatren Bappenas).
According to the coordinator, Prof. Dr. Sudibyakto, M.S, participants of ToT consisted of staff from Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) and universities at disaster-prone region. The activities held at UGM and Ritzumeikan University, Japan. "It is held for 12 days at UGM and later in November in Japan," said Sudibyakto, Wednesday (26/10).
Sudibyakto said one of the activities in the ToT is a field trip with the theme of Zero Risk for Better Future Through Risk Reduction Campaign. The activities in this field trip are field exercise (hazards, vulnerability, and risk assessment, damage and loss assessment, and risk management). Field exercise attended by 25 participants from National Development Planning Agency, Regional Disaster Management Agency, the Ministry of Forestry, Aceh Regional Development Planning Agency, Gorontalo Regional Development Planning Agency, East Nusa Tenggara Regional Development Planning Agency, Klaten Regional Development Planning Agency, Bengkulu Regional Development Planning Agency, Padang Regional Development Planning Agency, Central Java Regional Development Planning Agency, North Sulawesi Regional Development Planning Agency, Syah Kuala University in Aceh, University of Hasanudin of Makassar, University of Padjadjaran Bandung, and University of Indonesia.
Field Trip Risk Reduction Campaign is guided by a speaker from Center of Volcanoes Investigation and Technological Development (BPPTK) (Dra. Sri Sumarti: Merapi Section Head) and Prof. Dr. Sudibyakto, M.S. (Steering Committee of BNPB).
It is expected that the development planners in the area could grasp the concept of integrating disaster risk reduction into development activities in various areas, institutional strengthening of BPBD (Regional Disaster Management Agency), and the ability to perform analysis of disaster risk. "In addition, analysis of damage and loss assessment as well as managing emergency and spatial planning based on disaster risk to become basic modules," he added.
Meanwhile, Head of Pusbindiklatren National Development Planning Agency, Ir. Yahya Rachmana Hidayat, M.Sc., Ph.D., in the ToT says these activities provide a variety of public policy management aspects in disaster mitigation, building an integrated system for disaster risk management, both at national and regional levels; enhance the ability of participants to be able to teach similar training in their respective institutions/regions. "We also hope that these activities can improve disaster mitigation planning, and revised disaster mitigation training curriculum later on," John added.
Later, after the completion of the second phase of ToT in Japan a workshop in Jakarta will be held in order to further strengthen the curriculum and learning methods of similar training for planners in the region.