The Importance Of Handy Takly's Role In The Evacuation Process On Mount Semeru

JAKARTA - The process of searching for victims of the impact of the hot clouds from Mount Semeru has entered a week. The Indonesian Inter-Population Radio community organization (RAPI) in Lumajang Regency, played an important role in assisting the smooth evacuation through handy takly (HT) communication.

"Information submitted by RAPI members was immediately conveyed and spread to all corners of Semeru," said Chairman of RAPI Lumajang, East Java, Edi Faisol in Lumajang, Saturday, December 11. Semeru through the RAPI frequency. So if there is news in the field, it immediately spreads to every aid post to refugee posts. During President Joko Widodo's visit to the refugee camp for victims of the Semeru eruption on Tuesday (7/12), the Presidential Security Forces also used the RAPI frequency to find out all developments in Mount Semeru's activities. .

"All officers in Lumajang can know about Semeru's news," said Edi. When the eruption occurred last week, members of RAPI Lumajang immediately moved to the scene and built several base stations to facilitate communication in Penanggal, Sumberwuluh, and Pasirian villages. frequency is located on Mount Tambuh with an antenna height of up to 30 meters which can reach parts of Java to Bali. The placement of repeaters in that location prioritizes disaster-prone areas, one of which is the Mount Semeru area.

"The slightest information is immediately disseminated at their respective points and delivered to the rapiter post in Penanggal Village. We are sincere, even without payment, we can inform the relevant authorities," said Edi.

On Thursday morning (9/12), when the peak of Semeru was covered with thick clouds, members of RAPI Lumajang scattered all over the slopes of Semeru immediately informed the visual news via HT.

"The river smells of sulphur. Officers at the river were asked to temporarily stop their activities. The weather is not friendly, it would be better to go down for a while," said an officer at the time. RAPI members through the handy talky frequency are very useful for volunteers who work in the field, because they can find out the number of patients in each refugee, the peak condition of Semeru, to various obstacles in the field. the number of victims affected by the hot clouds of avalanches reached 6,542 people. They are spread over hundreds of evacuation points from Lumajang, Malang, and Blitar.