Drill turns into real-life drama

Drill turns into real-life drama

Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang

A loud alarm at the school indicates a huge earthquake and the
students and teachers immediately take cover under their desks.
They reach for their bags and place them on their heads.

After the quake is over, they walk quickly outside the school
buildings, still with their bags and books covering their heads,
and gather on an open field at the school's center to be counted.

The siren keeps on blaring -- an indication that the
earthquake may have triggered a tsunami -- and the students and
teachers hastily leave the school, with some assisting their
"injured" friends.

One group of students crosses the road to assemble near the
sturdy Bank Mandiri building on the left side of the school,
while another moves to another multi-story building at the
school's front. Some carry ladders to allow them to reach
buildings' upper windows if debris block their way. Both these
buildings have been designated safe places for people to take
refuge during a tsunami.

Suddenly, the drill is not a drill anymore. As the students
and teachers enter the two buildings the ground shakes hard and
people in the area begin to scream. As the students again drop
and take cover, workers dash out the buildings with terrified
looks on their faces.

The drill was part of the senior high school's civil defense
program in the West Sumatra capital of Padang.

At the time of the exercise on Saturday, which was being
recorded by Japanese broadcaster NHK, a large offshore earthquake
with its 6.9-magnitude epicenter located 50 kilometers northwest
of Padang, rocked the city, causing minor damage.

An observer from the United Nations, Trevo Page, said was
pleased with the efforts of the students, who had received
training from the National Coordination Agency for Disaster
Management (Bakornas).

"The exercise is a success. West Sumatra is well-prepared, and
only needs to educate the public at large," Page said.

Bakornas Disaster Mitigation Bureau head Sugeng Triotumo,
Padang Mayor Fauzi Bahar and Education Office head Marjohan, who
also provided instruction on safety, attended the event.

Sugeng said the idea of conducting the civil defense exercises
came from Vice President Jusuf Kalla, who wanted all quake-prone
areas along the west coast of Sumatra, especially densely
populated coastal cities like Padang, Pariaman and Bengkulu, to
be ready.

"We don't know when an earthquake and tsunami will happen, but
looking at the signs and analysis conducted by the National
Science Institute (LIPI), the west coast of Sumatra down to the
south coast of Java are at great risk (of such disasters). But
(luckily) there are relatively fewer people living along the
southern coast of Java," Sugeng said.

The exercises, conducted by the Bakornas and provincial
administrations, were part of a four-day provincial program,
Sugeng said. In the initial stage, they involved 400 students and
teachers from 30 senior, junior and elementary schools located
along the coast.

"The program exists to enhance early warning procedures and
reduce panic among the public if a situation arises. It's easier
to teach the students first and then they will pass on the
information to their parents," Sugeng said.

Fauzi said after the program toured schools he planned to
widen it to include government and private sector employees and
eventually general residents.

The exercise was welcomed by the participants.

Yudha, a final year student at SMU 1 Padang said he was quite
relaxed after receiving training. "I'm not worried anymore if an
earthquake and tsunami hit the city because I know where to run
and what needs to be done," he said.