KUBU RAYA, WEST KALIMANTAN — Emergency Health Response (RDK) Free Health Services (LKC) and Disaster Management Center (DMC) Dompet Dhuafa opened a Safe School at SMAN 4 Sungai Raya, Arang Limbung Village, Sungai Raya District, Kubu Raya Regency on Saturday (26/8/2023). This Safe School refers to the Ministry of Education and Culture’s recommendation on haze safe schools.
The room that has been turned into a Safe School is the School Health Unit (UKS). The selection of the UKS to become a Safe School is because this room is the point of service or medical treatment if there are students, educators or anyone part of the school, whose health is disturbed due to exposure to smoke from forest and land fires (karhutla).
It is known that SMAN 4 Sungai Raya is threatened by the smoke of forest and land fires because the school’s surroundings are flammable peatlands. In fact, on Sunday (20/8/2023), a fire broke out and burned the land in front of the school. The distance between the fire point and the school was 20-30 meters. Fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished by disaster management volunteers.
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“It happened on Sunday afternoon, we didn’t know there was a fire. I went to the location, I saw the fire, then I reported it to the Principal’s Working Conference (MKKS), then reported it to the Head of the Education and Culture Office. Alhamdulillah, it was immediately responded to (put out). The fire was extraordinary, starting from the left side, back and front. So, the smoke was unbelievable,” explained Iskandar, the school principal.
As a result of the incident, SMAN 4 Sungai Raya had to undergo online teaching and learning activities in their respective homes. The working principle of Safe School itself is to filter polluted air entering the classroom, circulate, purify and refresh the air in the classroom and circulate the air outside the classroom.
“Alhamdulillah, it can be in this school. All those in this school, if they feel tight or have other illnesses, can be served at this Safe School,” said Nazwa Salsabila, a second grade student of SMAN 4 Sungai Raya.
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In the Safe School room, there is dacron foam covering the air circulation vents. The purpose is to filter and retain the smoke and small particles that come with it so as not to be inhaled by students and school staff. The dacron foam will be sprayed with water periodically to keep the foam moist and able to absorb smoke particles.
“Alhamdulillah, smoke and dust cannot enter (minimize). The room becomes clean,” explained Puput Sukma Irianti as PMR Coordinator of SMAN 4 Sungai Raya.
Then in the ventilation room, an exhaust fan is installed to suck air from the room to be discharged, installed on the wall opposite to the source of pollutants. In addition, each window is equipped with a cloth curtain that is sprayed regularly to keep it moist to add protection from the threat of smoke and dust.
“Later, we DMC and RDK LKC Dompet Dhuafa will conduct regular monitoring of this Safe School. So that we will remain stand by in handling forest and land fires in West Kalimantan,” explained Erwandi Saputra as the Dompet Dhuafa DMC Team on the sidelines of the Safe School installation.
The room is also equipped with a fan to circulate the air in the room and cool it down. Finally, there is also an aquarium installation to maintain air humidity by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen in the room. The aquarium contains water, fish, and algae or moss, then fitted with LED/ultraviolet lights to help photosynthesize the algae. In addition to the aquarium, the Safe School room is also equipped with plants to absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen.
“Hopefully Nazwa can go to school as usual, not online, or not have to wear a mask anymore,” Nazwa concluded. (Dompet Dhuafa/DMC/AFP)