Fire Brigade Deployed to Clean Volcanic Ash from Public Spaces
Fire and rescue (Damkar) personnel and vehicles have been deployed to clean volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau that has settled on a number of facilities and public spaces. The move is intended to reduce ash deposits that could disrupt community activities and endanger residents’ health. Safrizal Zakaria Ali, Director-General of Regional Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said fire brigades can collaborate with the police in carrying out clean-up operations in affected areas.
“Damkar can collaborate with the National Police, who have water-spraying vehicles, to clean up volcanic ash that is dangerous to residents’ health,” Safrizal said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
Spraying is being carried out to remove ash that has settled on various surfaces. Ash on the roads can also become airborne again when blown by the wind or disturbed by passing vehicles. For this reason, a number of affected locations have been targeted for clean-up so that community activities are not further disrupted.
Safrizal said spraying using Damkar vehicles is being carried out at various public facilities, from roads to hospitals. According to him, the fire brigade’s involvement in cleaning volcanic ash is part of its service to the community, particularly in disaster situations.
“Water sprayed from Damkar vehicles to clean volcanic ash from roads through to hospitals and other facilities is part of our commitment to public service,” he said.
He considered the presence of fire brigade personnel in various affected areas, including in Lampung, as proof of the state’s rapid response in dealing with disaster situations.
“My thanks go to Damkar personnel for their active participation. Damkar is not only present at fire extinguishing operations, but also in natural disaster management,” he said.
Safrizal explained that Damkar falls under the guidance of the Directorate-General of Regional Administration at the Ministry of Home Affairs. To date, the role of Damkar best known to the public is fire prevention and suppression. Prevention efforts are carried out through outreach, education, and various measures to minimise fire risks in community environments. However, Damkar’s duties are not limited to putting out fires.
“Damkar’s other core duties are rescuing victims, protecting lives and property, and carrying out evacuations during fire incidents and other emergencies, including natural disasters, accidents, and the rescue of animals and valuables,” Safrizal said.
He also commended the swift action of Damkar personnel in a number of regions, including South Lampung, Bandar Lampung City, and Bogor City, who have been involved in spraying roads and cleaning various public facilities and hospitals.