Head Of Basarnas Wants Southeast Sulawesi To Have Aqua Eye, Can Detect Drowning People

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The Head of the Indonesian Basarnas, Marshal Madya TNI, Henri Alfiandi, is trying to make human detection devices available when drowning in rivers, lakes or in the seas of Southeast Sulawesi waters.

The Head of Basarnas explained the importance of procuring a person's detection device, namely Aqua eye or a radar device when a victim drowned. If there is an incident, it will make it easier for the search and rescue team to operate when dealing with conditions that are dangerous to humans.

"If you ask what is missing? (At the Kendari Basarnas Office), there is only one aqua eye, it is radar. So if people fall, we don't know where they are sinking, turn (the device) and immediately find the person," said Marshal Madya TNI Henri Alfiandi on the sidelines of checking equipment and alertness during a working visit at the Kendari Basarnas Office, Saturday 19 March.

According to Air Marshal Henri Alfiandi, the main problem at the Kendari Basarnas is the lack of primary search and rescue tools on the surface and in the water. Of the 100 percent of incidents, 70-80 percent are dominated by accidents on the surface of water, rivers, lakes and seas.

Basarnas will increase the fulfillment of search and rescue equipment for people in the waters or at sea, especially in the working area of the Kendari Basarnas Search Office.

"There's only one (aqua eye) even though we have three posts here, three standby units. This means that at least we need six more per office," he said.

Henri said that he would provide the detection equipment in stages so that it could support SAR operations in the ranks in Southeast Sulawesi.

"Hopefully we have some remaining budget this year, we will buy it directly, because experience in other places is very, very helpful and greatly speeds up the time for providing assistance or searching," he said.

He admitted that his party had received an appeal from President Joko Widodo to apply advanced and up-to-date technology in responding and accelerating the provision of assistance.

Therefore, his party will try to equip all the equipment that will be used by the rescue team in all its ranks, including the Search and Rescue Office of the Kendari Basarnas which has a working area throughout Southeast Sulawesi, and Sorowako, East Luwu Regency, South Sulawesi Province.

"We are carrying out the President's call that Basarnas must apply advanced technology, modern technology to be able to speed up the quick response time we provide assistance," said Marshal TNI Henri Alfiandi.

During his visit, Air Marshal Henri Alfiandi also provided internal direction and reinforcement to the ranks of the Kendari Basarnas Office behind closed doors.

The Head of Basarnas on a working visit at the Kendari Basarnas Office was accompanied by the Deputy for Sarpras Siskom, Junior Marshal TNI F. Indrajaya, Director of Operations Brigadier General (Mar) Wurjanto M.Han and was greeted by the Head of Basarnas Kendari Aris Sofingi.