City considers utilizing helicopters to fight fire<\/p>\n
Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The city administration is considering the use of helicopters
\nto put out fires in high-rise buildings and dense settlements,
\nwhich are most susceptible to fire and cannot be easily reached
\nby fire trucks and equipment.<\/p>\n
City administration spokesman Muhayat said on Monday that the
\noffice had received an invitation from Kuala Lumpur to observe
\nthe use of helicopters in the fire brigade.<\/p>\n
"I think the use of helicopters will be very effective to cope
\nwith the main problems where the dense settlements in the city
\nmakes it impossible for fire trucks to reach a fire, while the
\nextension ladders cannot reach the high-rise buildings.<\/p>\n
"Either Governor Sutiyoso himself or a team will take a
\ncomparative study trip in the near future, perhaps early on
\nApril. If we decide to use the helicopters, the procurement will
\ndepend on next year's budget," Muhayat told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
He said the office had calculated that the city needed up to
\n50 times its original budget on maintenance in a bid to provide
\nthe city with sophisticated fire safety systems and equipment.<\/p>\n
The chief of City Fire Department, Johnny Pangaribuan, has
\nrepeatedly said that most high-rise buildings, including City
\nHall, are firetraps given the poor fire protection systems and
\nnegligence in the maintenance of equipment.<\/p>\n
Fires have occurred in dense settlements during the last three
\nmonths, leaving thousands of people homeless, which many
\nattribute to mismanagement in city planning.<\/p>\n
A group of city councillors from Commission A for legal and
\nadministrative affairs went on a comparative study trip to learn
\nabout disaster management in 2001, including an integral system
\nas applied by Tokyo's fire department.<\/p>\n
However, the councillors said, none of what they had seen
\ncould be applied in the city due to differences in urban planning
\nand the layout of the capital city of Japan.<\/p>\n
Head of Commission A, Posman Siahaan, told the Post on Monday
\nthat Jakarta did not have the budget to procure sophisticated
\nfire safety equipment, but admitted that it should be a priority.<\/p>\n
"Maybe in next year's budget, but again it depends on the
\nfunds we have," he said, declining to reveal why there was no
\nspecial funding allocated for the improvement of the City Fire
\nDepartment and fire safety systems in the city.<\/p>\n
"In the meantime, people should exercise extra caution not to
\ncause fires while building management should maintain the fire
\nsafety systems. Because, whether or not a building has a
\nsophisticated fire system, most fires are caused by people's
\nignorance," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/city-considers-utilizing-helicopters-to-fight-fire-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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