Red Cross seeks greater public involvement<\/p>\n
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) marked its 58th anniversary on
\nWednesday with a call for greater public participation in
\nproviding first aid as a lifesaver to disaster victims.<\/p>\n
"Rather than rely on Red Cross or hospital emergency teams,
\nthe whole community should know what to do when disaster strikes
\nor an accident occurs, especially when their family members or
\nfriends are victims," PMI chairman Mar'ie Muhammad told The
\nJakarta Post here on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
PMI is now developing a community-based, first aid program to
\ndisseminate first aid knowledge and skills among community
\nmembers. According to Mar'ie, the program is crucial, considering
\nthe high incidence of disasters in the country, including
\nflooding, landslides and bombings.<\/p>\n
"The program also includes sanitation projects to provide
\nclean water and promote eradication of communal diseases," said
\nMar'ie.<\/p>\n
He noted that Indonesians lacked safety awareness. Citing an
\nexample, he pointed out that a helicopter flew over the JW
\nMarriott Hotel shortly after a bomb had exploded in its driveway
\nin front of the hotel lobby.<\/p>\n
"I thought it was a police helicopter on an evacuation
\nmission. Later I found out it was carrying a TV cameraman
\nshooting scenes of the blast. I can understand that, for TV
\njournalists, taking exclusive footage is important, but the high-
\nspeed rotors of the helicopter could have caused more windows to
\nbreak, especially those already half-shattered by the blast."<\/p>\n
"That could have endangered emergency workers, police
\nofficers, even victims on the ground. Broken glass might have
\nshowered them at any time," he said.<\/p>\n
Mar'ie also conceded that PMI, which is as old as the nation,
\nneeded to improve the quality of its human resources and
\nequipment.<\/p>\n
"Effective first aid should be on time and provide the right
\ntreatment. Basically, team members are highly motivated, as
\nhas been demonstrated on several occasions. But in order for us
\nto provide a good service, team members should be trained
\nregularly to keep up with developments in first aid know-how," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He also lamented PMI's lack of equipment due to limited funds.<\/p>\n
"When Bali was rocked by the bomb blasts, we had to 'import'
\nbody bags from Aceh as Bali did not have enough of them," he said
\nby way of an example.<\/p>\n
The first ambulance arrived at the scene as late as 42 minutes
\nafter the blasts.<\/p>\n
However, even at its Jakarta headquarters, PMI lacks the first
\naid equipment necessary. It received its first fireproof suits
\nonly after 58 years of existence when an international
\ninstitution donated the suits on the occasion of its anniversary.<\/p>\n
"Fireproof suits, helmets and masks are very important for a
\nfirst aid crew's safety. They could also help victims, let's say,
\nthose trapped in a fire, and would likely save more lives," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Mar'ie also called for more corporate and individual sponsors
\nto get involved and make donations to PMI.<\/p>\n
"We don't have a sustainable income, so we rely a lot on
\ndonations."<\/p>\n
PMI receives a Rp 560 million (US$65,882) annual subsidy from
\nthe Office of the State Secretary. Routine expenditure at its
\nheadquarters office in Jakarta alone, Mar'ie said, used up about
\nRp 300 million every year.<\/p>\n
Currently, PMI has regional offices in 30 provinces, with 342
\nbranches at a district level.<\/p>",
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