Japan trains Banjarmasin firefighters to handle disaster

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (AnatarnewsKalsel) - The Japan Paramedic Rescue (JPR) team has provided training in handling fire victims to firefighters in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan.

JPR Chairman Kiyoshi Masai in Banjarmasin on Tuesday said the fire disaster management process undertaken by firefighters here still uses the old pattern or version 2000.

After seeing the firefighters performing simulated handling of fainting victims and artificial breathing, he said the way the team did was outdated. Moreover, he added, the rescue team was not equipped with adequate medical equipment when providing relief to the victim.

"That's how the old version of 2000's, I'll show you the 2015 version," he said in front of the firefighters.

Kiyoshi Masai explained that every five years the handling of disaster victims is renewed, such as fainting from drowning, or lack of oxygen during a fire.

JPR in the handling of disaster victims using a tool called AID to detect the heart rate as well as provide a 6000 volts shock, and to monitor the development of the victim's heart every two minutes automatically.

In Japan, Masai said, this tool is placed in several public facilities, such as terminals, airports, malls, and offices.

There are several AID models that can be used for victim handling assistance with a price range of US$2,000 to US$3,000.

"In Indonesia, this tool does not exist in public places," he said.

In an activity that is a continuation of similar training held in 2007 in Banjarmasin, Masai offers a disaster management system that includes three things, handling of emergency conditions, rescue, and firefighting.

Currently, in ASEAN countries, no one has implemented this joint work system, including in Indonesia.

Firefighters, he added, is not the same as the medical team of the hospital, so there is often less coordination in dealing with the disaster, and this can be fatal to the victims.

"If in Banjarmasin using a system of merging three officers to the disaster site will be a model in Indonesia," he said.