Extinguishing Fires and Public Anger
Firefighters carry a bag of bodies out of a burning shophouse on Jl. Ciledug Raya, Cipulir, Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta. The fire occurred at around 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday (2/1/2019).
Suffering from smoke inhalation and burns are risks that firefighters face. Another risk is facing public anger. Below is a story on the heavy load of firefighters.
On Sunday morning, one and a half months ago, firefighters rushed to the residential immigration complex in Tugu Utara, Koja, North Jakarta, where a house on Jl. Manggar Blok C was on fire.
The firefighters were ready with hoses aimed at the fire. Unfortunately, the flow of water from a sewer used as the source of water, about 200 meters from the fire location, was blocked. Lots of garbage clogged the flow of water. When water did not flow from the fire hose, the people became angry, worried that the fire would spread to other houses.
"You wear fire-resistant clothing. Proceed, go inside the house. Why you are afraid to die! You are paid to do this. Go!” shouted a number of people at the firemen.
One resident pushed a fireman, Dendy Sagita, 35, toward the fire. They thought Dendy\'s orange overalls were fireproof and he should not be afraid to approach the fire. "Sorry, Sir, this is heat proof, not fireproof," Dendy said.
Even though some people were getting angry, some gave the firefighters encouragement. This motivated them to focus on extinguishing the fire.
The firefighting team completed its task at 3:47 a.m., one hour after receiving the report. Fires can be localized in just in one house. "I had a similar experience before," Dendy said on Sunday at the office of the North Jakarta Fire and Rescue Services in Semper Barat.
The bespectacled man became a firefighter in 2008. During the first nine years, he served at Tanjung Priok Port and never faced angry residents. In January 2018, Dendy was transferred to the North Jakarta fire brigade. The social conditions he face are more dynamic, especially in dense settlements, such as in Kamal Muara, Marunda and Rorotan.
Fortunately, he is not easily upset. "If I had responded with anger, maybe the video would not have gone viral," said Dendy with a laugh. A video recording of Dendy and his team members fighting the fire in the immigration residential complex went viral. It was uploaded on YouTube and given the title "Dicaci Maki Pun Kami Akan Tetap Bertugas! Jaya 65!” (Even When Reviled, We Do Our Job! Success Jaya 65)
Since Dec. 31, 2018 until Feb. 13 this year, the video has been viewed more than 217,000 times. It has received 6,100 likes. One of Dendy\'s fellow firefighters, Fikri Naufal, 20, made the recording using an action camera mounted on his helmet. Making video blogs is Fikri’s hobby. He often uploads videos on his YouTube account.
Fikri lends his eyes to the wider community to take a closer look at the risks and challenges faced by firefighters. He made the video because he often becomes frustrated with some people\'s attitude. In fact, becoming a firefighter is not easy. Fikri, for example, had to attend a 100-hour course and training program over two weeks. The studied methods used to extinguish fires, first-aid techniques, how to save himself when trapped in a narrow and dark building and how to pass through fire.
Only after finishing the course and passing the test was he allowed to fight fires. Firefighters have long faced such conditions. In 1992, for example, residents of an area in Kalibaru, Cilincing, ridiculed a senior firefighter of the North Jakarta fire brigade, Dede Bayu, 50, and tried to wrestle the fire hose out of his hands.
Four fires every day
According to Jakarta Fire Department data, 1,751 fires were reported in Jakarta throughout 2018, increasing 19 percent from 1,471 incidents in 2017. At least four fires occurred every day in 2018 and 2017.
Firefighters not only extinguish fires but also carry out rescue operations, such as when buildings collapse, evacuate people from flooded areas, search for missing people and conduct animal control operations (removal wasp hives, cats and snakes). In 2018, they handled 1,217 rescue operations.
Despite their heavy responsibilities, some firefighters are paid only Rp 3.9 million (about US$300) per month. The payment is for contract firefighters. Dendy and Fikri are on contract.
There are 4,462 employees at the Jakarta Fire Department. Of these, 1,756 employees or 39.35 percent are contract workers.
Meanwhile, the head of the North Jakarta fire brigade, Abdul Wahid, called on residents not to block the path of fire engines so that fires could be extinguish quickly. He also asked people not to park their cars on the road and not to stand around to watch a fire because they could disrupt firefighting efforts. Bystanders can also suffer respiratory problems from inhaling smoke from a fire.
The main obstacle is preventing fires. Sixty-one percent of fires in Jakarta last year were caused by electrical problems. People should make sure the wiring in their house is in good condition. "A fire is due to a failure in prevention," Wahid said.
If we follow the advice, it might be the most beautiful gift for the fire department, which celebrates its 100th anniversary on March 1.
