BOGOR, WEST JAVA – The Disaster Management Center (DMC) of Dompet Dhuafa provided training to students from the National Social Forum of Community Students in Region IV of the Executive Board of Student Executive Bodies throughout Indonesia (BEM SI) on disaster mitigation. The training took place at Pelita Desa Nursery, Ciseeng, Bogor Regency, on Saturday and Sunday, August 26-27, 2023.
On the first day of training, the students received lectures on disaster management introduction, youth leadership in disasters, rapid assessment, psychological first aid (PFA), first aid, and climate change adaptation mitigation.
Then, on the second day, the training continued with a presentation on fire suppression and concluded with a small-scale fire suppression simulation guided by the Manager of the Humanitarian Academy at DMC Dompet Dhuafa, Achmad Lukman, with assistance from one of the DMC Dompet Dhuafa volunteers.
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The role of youth is one of the potentials that can be harnessed in disaster mitigation efforts. Youth possess the energy, creativity, and enthusiasm to contribute to environmental sustainability and assist communities in facing disasters. Therefore, the initiative to optimize the role of youth, especially students, in disaster mitigation training is highly relevant.
“The role of youth is crucial because they are the future leaders who will continue the leadership relay,” said Latif Hidayatullah Ikhsan, the Coordinator of Region IV of BEM SI.
“This training has made fellow students more aware of their surrounding environment, which, as it turns out, needs disaster prevention capacity. As human beings, we must have knowledge about mitigation so that we can reduce the risks and avoid undesirable outcomes in the event of a disaster,” Latif continued.
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As agents of change who can elicit action responses from various segments of society, from the elderly to the young, students are a group that can be relied upon to influence the public.
“Their active involvement can help contribute to creating a resilient society and reducing the impact of disasters,” explained Achmad Lukman.
Contributions from students who have in-depth expertise in mitigation and climate change are a valuable potential source for collectively addressing issues. Furthermore, the role of students is also intended to find the best solutions for disaster management, starting from the concepts of disaster mitigation and resilience, making post-disaster reconstruction more manageable.
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Youth possess determination and the spirit to advocate positive change. By providing disaster mitigation training to youth, we can create individuals who are capable of helping communities understand disaster risks and take preventive measures.
“Of course, I learned a lot, such as extinguishing fires with sacks, addressing gas leaks, and more. Moreover, our role as students is very important. From this training, I gained knowledge I didn’t have before, and after this training, I can share that knowledge with those around me,” concluded Teguh Firmansyah, one of the participants. (Dompet Dhuafa/DMC)