Firefighters ask for public understanding

JAKARTA (JP): As their bosses are fighting for more equipment and personnel, the city's firefighters are fighting for a greater public understanding of their job and for an adequate monthly wage packet.

"We have chosen this job as our profession. And we will continue doing our job, for it is a noble thing to serve people," M. Idrus Paddai, head of the Central Jakarta Fire Department, said on Sunday.

He called on people to understand the problems that firefighters faced at fire scenes.

"We are often trapped in traffic jams. But it is likely the people have neglected the situation and want us to arrive at the fire scenes on time," he told The Jakarta Post.

"Owners of gutted houses often blame firefighters for arriving late."

Idrus said that fires often broke out in areas far from the city's main roads and could not be reached by fire trucks.

"To settle the problems of traffic jams and isolation, more fire stations should be established to allow firefighters, posted at their respective subdistricts, to provide immediate fire prevention assistance," he said.

Firefighters in Central Jakarta are responsible for a 47,90- square-kilometer area. The mayoralty has a total of 475 firefighters, not enough to serve its 1,113,579 residents, who mostly live in densely populated areas.

Idrus said his department has 16 fire stations equipped with 22 fire trucks. "Each fire station usually has four firefighters and a fire truck."

He said the limited numbers of hydrants in the mayoralty had reduced the fire department's capacity to extinguish fires.

"Each of our trucks has the capacity to carry up to 4,000 liters of water.

" A full tank of water runs out in seven minutes, and after that we must find water from other sources, like rivers," he said.

The head of Jakarta Fire Department, Suharso, said last Friday the city had only 706, out of an ideal of 10,000, fire hydrants and had only 92 out of the required 265 water reservoirs.

Meanwhile, the city needs an additional 211 fire trucks as there are only 113 fire trucks currently in good condition, he said.

Suharso said the department was planning to increase the number of firefighters, from the current 2,449 to 6,459 by 2008.

He also said the department had only 83 fire stations, far below the desired 140.

Community

The poor performance of the city's firefighters, however, should not only be blamed on the limited numbers of firefighters and equipment, but also on people's behavior.

"People often call us after the fire has spread, so when we arrive at the scene, houses and buildings are already razed to the ground," he said.

He also accused people of asking firefighters to prioritize their homes.

"They often ask our firefighters to prioritize their houses, while in reality there are other houses which need our service more badly," he said.

Increased understanding is not the only thing firefighters are pursuing; they are also looking for an increase in their income.

A new recruit at the city fire department is paid up to Rp 200,000 (US$28) per month, which is far below the city's minimum wage of Rp 450,000 per month.

Hafid Achmad, a firefighter stationed at the City Hall's fire station, said he could hope for a monthly salary of Rp 875,000 after working with the department for 25 years.

"Our monthly salary is enough if we spend it carefully," said the 48-year-old employee.

Financial mismanagement is another problem in the service. Some firefighters look for additional earnings, sometimes from illegal practices.

"Some of our employees steal valuable goods left behind by the owners of razed houses," Warno, section head of the Central Jakarta Fire Department, told the Post.

"So far, we have fired five employees for stealing building owners' belongings," Warno, who has been working as a firefighter since 1974, said. (asa)