Ministry of Social Affairs Trains 60 People to Become Disaster Preparedness Cadets

SENTUL, BOGOR (February 18th 2020) - As an effort to develop the concept of Community-Based Disaster Management (CBDM), and to strengthen the capacity of Disaster Preparedness Cadets volunteers as disaster management officers in the field of social protection, the Ministry of Social Affairs conducts training for Disaster Preparedness Cadets in the field of Volunteer Health Management.

"Disaster Preparedness Cadets need to be given training in health-related services, because in addition to handling disasters, Disaster Preparedness Cadets must also be able to protect themselves", said the Director of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA) of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Rachmat Koesnadi during the opening of the Disaster Preparedness Cadets at Tagana Center, Sentul, Tuesday (18/2).

Rachmat said, in carrying out their duties, the Disaster Preparedness Cadets often neglect their own health in the field and got sick. However, this is not desirable to happen to anyone.

"Many are over-limiting, overtime in carrying out their duties because they are so militant and the high calling of their souls to help others, but neglect their own health so that many got sick, even die," said Rachmat.

In the same place, the Head of the Sub-Directorate for Preparedness and Mitigation of the PSKBA Directorate, Iyan Kusmadiana, conveyed the data on the number of Disaster Preparedness Cadets which had reached 38 thousand people throughout Indonesia.

"In accordance with the policy of the Director General of Social Protection and Security, the Ministry of Social Affairs will train all of you, Disaster Preparedness Cadets to become Middle Disaster Preparedness Cadets", said Iyan.

This, continued Iyan, is to create Disaster Preparedness Cadets who can participate in leading various social protection activities in the field, such as leading refugee shelters and public kitchens.

"The strengthening of the Disaster Preparedness Cadets is aimed at forming leaders of the Disaster Preparedness Cadets who are able to become team commanders of services ranging from shelter services, public kitchens, to Psychosocial Support Services (LDP)", he explained.

Carrying the theme 'Volunteer Health Management', the Ministry of Social Affairs is collaborating with the Japanese CHIBA Institute of Science (CIS) to participate in the training which will be held from 17th to 22th February.

The team from CIS Japan was lined up as one of the material for the Incident Command System for Camp and Health Management of Disaster Preparedness Cadets Members to the candidates of Disaster Preparedness Cadets.

At the opening, there was also an inauguration of the Japanese CIS team to become an instructor for the Disaster Preparedness Cadets, as well as the signing of a technical cooperation between the Directorate General of Social Protection and Security represented by the Director of PSKBA and CIS Japan.

The cooperation in question is related to the implementation of the Disaster Response Capacity Strengthening Program for Disaster Preparedness Cadets, which previously went through a series of discussions and was mutually agreed upon between the two parties.

In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs also collaborates with other organizations, including the World Food Program (WFP) in relation to personnel logistics. Then, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) related to shelter as a process and vulnerability in shelters. Meanwhile, cooperation with the Register of Engineers for Disaster Relief (RedR) Indonesia is related to personal readiness towards the field of disaster management.

A total of 60 people from 34 provinces in Indonesia attended the event. The activity was also attended by Major Disaster Preparedness Cadets from DKI Jakarta, West Java and Central Java as an effort to monitor so that the consolidation of Disaster Preparedness Cadets is in accordance with Tagana's needs. Also attended were Disaster Preparedness Cadets from West Java and DKI Jakarta to become assistant instructors.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Social Affairs, Juliari P. Batubara is scheduled to have a direct dialogue with the Youth Disaster Preparedness training participants at the Tagana Center on Thursday (20/2) tomorrow.