Fire chief wants hydrants for housing<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta, a city of 65,000 hectares with more
\nthan nine million people and hundreds of housing complexes, has
\nonly 361 fire hydrants.<\/p>\n
The head of the fire department, Suharso, said yesterday
\nthe number was too small to support fire engines at the scene of
\na fire. \"Ideally, one fire hydrant should be installed every 300
\nmeters. Jakarta needs at least 600,000 hydrants,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In an effort to increase the number of fire hydrants, Suharso
\nsaid he wanted developers to install fire hydrants in the housing
\nestates they build.<\/p>\n
He said he would propose that the city administration make the
\ninstallation of fire hydrants one of the conditions to be met by
\ndevelopers who apply for permits to start housing projects.<\/p>\n
\"In this way, the city will gradually have adequate fire
\nhydrants,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the administration also lacks the money to install
\nhydrants, which cost around Rp 8 million each.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has less land for housing complexes and developers
\nhave gone to Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi in West Java to expand
\ntheir property businesses. Developers are only building
\napartments in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
According to gubernatorial decree No. 240, private developers
\nare obliged to build social facilities inside their projects such
\nas drainage systems and waterways, schools and houses of worship.<\/p>\n
Suharso said that the lack of hydrants was one factor which
\nhampers fire brigades in controlling fires.<\/p>\n
From January to October this year there were 568 fires which
\nclaimed 11 lives and destroyed 5,771 houses. As many as 33 people
\nwere injured in the fires which inflicted a total loss of Rp 40
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Data provided by the fire department shows that from 1989 to
\n1994 there were 4,679 fires with material losses amounting to Rp
\n236 billion and about 100,000 people losing their homes.<\/p>\n
Most of the fires were caused by short circuits, Suharso said.<\/p>\n
He said that his subordinates faced various constraints, apart
\nfrom the lack of fire hydrants, when dealing with fires.<\/p>\n
Traffic congestion is always a serious problem, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Our fire engines cannot arrive at fire locations on time
\nbecause they are caught in traffic jams. It seems that motorists
\nare reluctant to give way to fire trucks,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Fire victims expect top priority from the fire fighters
\nbecause they do not know the standard procedures.<\/p>\n
His office plans to publicize regional decree no. 3\/1992 on
\nfire. The publishing of the standard procedures is aimed at
\nmaking the public aware of what firemen do at fires.<\/p>\n
The city department has 2,620 firemen and 157 fire engines.
\n(yns)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fire-chief-wants-hydrants-for-housing-1447893297",
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