Photo: Photo with participants and facilitators at session 2 of the Jakarta II EDR Klasis Team Disaster Emergency Response Training

Transmitting knowledge to volunteers at Gereja Klasis Jakarta II

The EDR Klasis Jakarta II Team Disaster Emergency Response Training was an initiative from one of the participants after participating in the phase 4 church volunteer training organized by YEU in Yogyakarta on 14-17 March 2023. Ishak Hatorangan, is the head of ministry at GKI church classis in  Jakarta II and the only representative from Jakarta who participated in the church's volunteer training. Ishak Hatorangan attended the training which was held for 4 days with enthusiasm in each session. At the end of the training session, Ishak expressed his intention to share this experience with church volunteers in his area because the training material was very relevant to the needs of the EDR (Emergency Disaster Response) Team.

EDR (Emergency Disaster Response)

Foto: Tim EDR dari GKI Kejadu

EDR (Emergency Disaster Response) Team is a voluntary team from the congregation and they carry out disaster emergency response missions. This team is managed under the Field of Testimony and Service of the church (Kespel) and consisted of representatives from 13 church members in Jakarta II Classis. The EDR team has been involved in several emergency responses, such as the COVID-19 response, the Jakarta flood, and the Cianjur earthquake in 2022. Previously, the EDR team received training in flood emergency response management. The training focused on practical rescue and evacuation skills. This has become the basis and encouragement for the EDR Team to understand the basic of disaster management. 

Race against time

Photo: EDR team presenting the results of the capacity and vulnerability assessment to disaster risk threats

The activity entitled "Disaster Emergency Response Training for the EDR Team of church classis Jakarta II" was carried out in two days , on 6  and 13 May 2023 from 09.00 to 16.00. However the time availability to cover all training material was limited. Thus, the committee from the church classis Jakarta II was in collaboration with the YEU Training Center to select 7 (seven) topics into 6 priority materials being delivered to the team. 

Photo: CPR simulation at PPGD training

The first session discussed Disaster Management, Evacuation Site Management, Logistics Management , and First Aid . In the disaster management material, participants were shared about disaster management, including cycles and types, and to rank disasters based on threats in the region, to assess the capacity and vulnerability of churches in the classis Jakarta II area. From the group discussion facilitated by David Pattinama from YEU, it was concluded that the priority threats in church classis Jakarta II were floods, fires, social conflicts, technological failures, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the EDR Team equipped themselves with the ability of "Refugee Camp Management and Logistics". Arnice Ajawaila, YEU's Emergency Response Coordinator, was the facilitator for this topic and spoke about humanitarian standards in shelter management as well as logistics management. With a simple simulation game, participants were  able to design evacuation and logistics shelters based on given cases that meet the Sphere standards and  core humanitarian standards.

Photo: exercise to collect data and information in a rapid disaster assessment

The last material delivered in the first session was First Aid training. The training was delivered by Isnanto who is a lecturer at Institute of Health Science (STIKES) Bethesda in Yogyakarta. The training sessions include treatment to victims with respiratory difficulties, cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system; and simulated CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation); as well as basic techniques for stabilization and transport in patients.

The second session of the training for EDR was carried out on 13 May 2023. Participants discussed inclusive data management. The  sessions include sharing of  Humanitarian Inclusion Standards, sex age disability disaggregated data (SADDD), Washington Group Short Questions (WGQ), and Inclusive Disaster Rapid Assessment. A summary of inclusive data management was delivered by Otniel Nahoga Christa and Brigita Ra Sekar Laras from YEU. The material was delivered with interesting activities such as: group work matching terms and definitions of 9 key inclusion standards; looking for 7 inclusion sector standards; training to collect data and information on earthquake rapid assessment; and role-playing as survivors and volunteers to practice collecting SADDD data and conducting rapid assessments for examples of landslide cases in Cianjur. In addition, materials on fire rescue were provided to participants. This material was trained directly by the Fire Fighter Team of South Jakarta.

Great potential for humanitarian services in Jakarta and surrounding areas

10 out of 13 church members in Jakarta II Classis participated in the EDR Team Training, including representatives from Kespel, Classis Secretariat, and Classis Council Working Committee (BPMK) . There were 31 participants who attended the two training sessions. Most of the participants who attended the training had already performed emergency response services and by attending this training they became more prepared and had the necessary skills to serve. The humanitarian services carried out by the EDR Team are  fully supported by the church, where they are committed to support  in crisis situations by strengthening the capacity of the EDR team, allocating social funds for services, and providing facilities that can support the activities of the EDR Team.