Thirty residents of RW 02 in Cakung Timur, East Jakarta, were trained on Saturday, September 12, in basic fire prevention techniques using portable fire extinguishers (APAR) and wet sacks. The training was organized by the East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Sub-agency, or Sudin Gulkarmat, and held in the yard of the local RW chairman’s house. Participants received both theoretical instruction and practical demonstrations on how to respond to fires at an early stage. The program reflects the growing emphasis on community preparedness as a first line of defense against residential fires.
Head of the Prevention Section at the East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Sub-agency, Edi Parwoko, said similar educational activities are regularly held at different locations. He stressed that residents need practical knowledge about preventing and responding to fires before they develop into larger incidents. The training was considered particularly important during the prolonged dry season, when fire risks in residential areas can increase. Eight fire and rescue officers were deployed to provide the participants with both classroom-style explanations and hands-on instruction.
Edi said the main objective was to ensure residents could take immediate action when a fire first breaks out. Early intervention, he argued, could prevent a small fire from spreading and causing greater damage. The approach also gives communities a clearer understanding of how simple equipment and improvised methods can be used while waiting for professional firefighters to arrive. Such training can therefore strengthen neighborhood-level resilience and reduce the potential impact of residential fires.
Chairman of RW 02 Cakung Timur, Abdul Haris, welcomed the initiative, particularly because the neighborhood is densely populated and therefore vulnerable to rapidly spreading fires. Although the organizers initially limited the training to 30 participants, around 50 residents ultimately attended. The participants included RT and RW administrators, representatives of the Community Deliberation Institution (LMK), the Early Awareness Forum (FKDM), community family welfare cadres, Family Welfare Movement (PKK) members, mosquito-control volunteers, health-post cadres, as well as community and religious leaders. The strong turnout suggests that fire prevention education is not merely a government program, but a practical community need in densely populated parts of Jakarta.
Alexander Jason – Redaksi
