World Firefighters Day and the Risk of the Red Rooster's Rampage in Jakarta

The metropolitan city of Jakarta, which is at high risk of being hit by a red rooster, really needs firefighting services.

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

The landscape of the location of the former fire that ravaged a densely populated residential area in the North Bambu Utara area, Palmerah, West Jakarta, on Sunday (17/3/2024). The fire in the early hours of Sunday burned more than 90 homes, mostly rented. There were no casualties in the incident. The initial suspicion of the cause of the fire is a short circuit in one of the rented homes' electrical currents.

Every May 4th is celebrated as World Firefighters Day. This moment is a reminder of the services and sacrifices of firefighters. Jakarta, as a metropolitan city with a fairly high risk of fire, really needs their services. Moreover, the number of red rooster rampages is increasing.

The Jakarta metropolitan area, as an area with a population of 10.6 million people, in 2023 will become the province with the most dense population in Indonesia. Each square kilometer is inhabited by 16,146 residents. This makes Jakarta a place with very high density which is vulnerable to causing fires. The role of firefighters is needed to deal with various dangers that threaten the safety of residents.

Apart from dealing with events caused by the rage of the blaze, firefighters also serve the community in the realm of rescue. Their rescue duties are diverse, ranging from catching snakes that enter residential homes, helping cats that cannot come down from a height, rescuing someone who fell into a well, chasing away dangerous wasps, and handling things that are considered funny. Among them are removing biscuit cans from children's heads, freeing people trapped in fences, and a series of other unexpected rescue tasks. In short, firefighters (damkar) play a vital role in maintaining the safety of public life.

With a series of heavy tasks being carried out, the number of firefighting personnel in the Jakarta area is still far from adequate. This is reflected in the number of fire stations that cannot serve the entire Jakarta area. Referring to Kompas's research journalism in 2021, the reach of the fire post that year was only 81.5 percent. This figure has increased compared to the situation in 2014 with coverage of 72.3 percent. The coverage calculation is based on an analysis of the road network as far as 2.5 kilometers from each fire post.

Also read: The Mampang Prapatan Fire and the Sad Story That Keeps Recurring in Jakarta

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS WISNU WARDHANA DANY

Equipment for fire and rescue officers at Menteng Post, Central Jakarta, Monday (8/4/2024).

In January 2024, the Head of the Jakarta Fire and Rescue Agency (Gulkarmat), Satriadi Gunawan, stated that up until this year, there were 170 fire station posts scattered throughout Jakarta. This situation is still not ideal according to Jakarta Provincial Regulation Number 8 of 2008 regarding Fire Prevention and Control.

In Article 33 of the regional regulation, it is stated that "in an effort to tackle fires and other disasters in the district, a fire department sector office is established, and in the sub-district, a fire station post is established." In Jakarta, there are 267 sub-districts, but only 170 fire stations are currently available.

Increase firefighting range

This situation, which is not yet ideal, must immediately find a solution because fire cases in the Jakarta area have continued to increase in the last five years (2019-2023). The number of fire incidents in 2023 will reach 2,286, which indicates that an average of six fires occur in Jakarta a day.

When compared to the frequency of fires in previous years, the incidents in 2023 are considered very high. This is because in 2022, there were 1,691 recorded cases of fire, while during the period of 2019-2021, the number of incidents per year never exceeded 2,000 cases. Looking at this data, the procurement of facilities and infrastructure, as well as the addition of fire brigade personnel, are becoming increasingly urgent to be carried out.

The addition of personnel is an effort to increase mitigation and disaster response measures, particularly for fires that are becoming more frequent in the Jakarta area. In 2023, fires claimed the lives of 46 Jakarta residents, the highest number during the period of 2019-2023. This event indicates that the level of fire fatalities is increasing as the frequency of fires in Jakarta rises.

Also read: Severe Fire Burns Dozens of Stalls in Kebayoran Lama

Factors of negligence and prevention

It must be understood that dealing with fires is not enough to rely solely on fire department teams. The majority of the causes of fires are human activities, not only natural factors. This means that the community must be involved in minimizing the risk of fires in the environment around their residences.

Moreover, most fire incidents occur in residential areas and are generally caused by electrical currents. These two variables are strong foundations for the need for community involvement in fire mitigation efforts. Often times, the community neglects their electrical installations or electronic devices they own. However, around 60 percent of fires in Jakarta are caused by electrical problems.

In an article from Kompas.id titled "Fan as Heat Relief, Inviting Fire in Jakarta" (Thursday, 25/8/2022), it is revealed that residents in Jakarta struggle with hot temperatures and humid air in their homes, especially those who live in dense and even slum areas. Poor air circulation forces fans to run continuously day and night.

Unfortunately, the high intensity of electronic device usage is not accompanied by adequate maintenance, not supported by standard electrical equipment, and the electrical network is not safe enough, thus the risk of fire becomes very high.

Also read: Fires Threaten Jakarta

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Remnants of the fire at Kambing Market, Tanah Abang, Jakarta, on Wednesday (9/8/2023). As many as 146 stalls were burned down due to the fire. According to residents, the fire was spotted at 06.45. It is suspected that the fire originated from a short circuit. As many as 17 fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the flames.

Therefore, World Firefighters Day, which falls on May 4, is a reminder for all people to always be alert to the dangers of fire. This commemoration is not only an appreciation for the services and sacrifices of the fire crews, but also a reminder of the importance of fire disaster mitigation efforts that involve the entire community.

Regularly maintain and check the suitability of electronic equipment in your home, do not leave the stove on unattended, avoid leaving the fan operating for too long, and avoid burning waste in risky areas such as near piles of dry leaves or flammable objects. Every member of society must participate in reducing the risk of fire in their respective surroundings. (KOMPAS RESEARCH)