Firefighters lack equipment

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon

Despite a high frequency of fires in Cirebon, the municipal government here still gives low priority to pre-emptive measures, a government official said on Thursday.

"It seems that fighting fire is not a government priority," said chief of the firefighter section of the Cirebon municipal government, Deddy Nurayadi.

Deddy complained that the section only had five fire trucks, while ideally the city government should have 15 vehicles to fight fires in a city of some 300,000 houses and buildings.

He said the section has 30 firefighters but only five of them had been well trained. Worse, most of the firefighters were still contract workers with a monthly wage Rp 475,000 (US$47.50).

"With such a low salary, it is difficult to expect them to be professional in carrying out their duties," said Deddy.

House fires in Cirebon have become more frequent, and every year between 24 and 36 fires occur in the city, which is located on the northern coastal area of West Java province.

With such lack of equipment and funds, the section has says it can not properly fight fires. Therefore, the section has intensified a campaign to enhance community participation in fighting fires. "Businessmen, for example, have been urged to place fire-fighting equipment in their own buildings," said Deddy.