Surabaya, Indonesia – The Surabaya City Government, in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) and the Indonesian Fire & Rescue Foundation (IFRF), organized an International Fire Safety Codes & Standards Seminar at the Grand City Convex Ballroom, Surabaya, on Wednesday, February 28, 2024. The event also featured an exhibition of firefighting and rescue equipment.
The seminar aimed to provide valuable knowledge to firefighting and rescue personnel from across Indonesia on codes and technical standards related to fire prevention and rescue operations. The activities are part of the lead-up to the 105th National Fire and Rescue Day, which will be celebrated in Surabaya. The commemoration ceremony will take place on March 1, 2024, at KODAM V Brawijaya Field, with the Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, in attendance.
Laksita Rini Sevriani, Head of the Surabaya Fire and Rescue Department, mentioned that the series of events for the 105th National Fire and Rescue Day began on February 27, 2024, with the National Fire Fighter Skill Competition (NFSC) 2024. The seminar and exhibition at the Grand City Convex Ballroom took place on February 28-29, 2024, with the anniversary ceremony scheduled for March 1, 2024.
“This seminar includes participants from fire departments across Indonesia, state and private universities, as well as vendors and manufacturers of firefighting equipment both nationally and internationally,” said Laksita Rini.
She explained that participants included both domestic and international attendees, including experts who provided insights into fire handling and rescue technical codes and standards. The goal is to ensure that personnel rely not only on their physical and mental capabilities but also on technical safety standards during their duties.
“We need to consider international standards. We must not rely solely on physical and mental skills but also on knowledge of technical safety standards,” she added.
A National Coordination Meeting (Rakornas) will also be held on February 29, 2024, at the Grand City Convex Ballroom, Surabaya, in preparation for the 105th National Fire and Rescue Day ceremony. This meeting will be attended by fire department heads and local government officials from across Indonesia.
“There will be presentations in the form of talk shows, including one from the Surabaya City Government about our innovation known as Roti Tujuh Lapis (Seven-Minute Response Time, Free Firefighting Service), which has been endorsed by the government,” she added.
Peter Placidus S. Petrus, President & CEO of the Indonesian Fire & Rescue Foundation (IFRF), noted that the seminar featured experts in international fire safety codes and standards. He emphasized the importance of adhering to these technical standards for the safety of personnel.
“International standards are updated every three years. These updates are incorporated by us as members of national technical committees to create Indonesian National Standards (SNI). This is the focus of our symposium and seminar on Codes & Standards,” said Peter.
He acknowledged some misunderstandings regarding the implementation of standards due to inconsistencies with copyright laws. Efforts are being made to align national and international technical standards.
“There were issues with copying or printing standards which affected our international relations. We aim to harmonize international and national standards to prevent such issues and ensure effective use of these standards,” he explained.
Additionally, IFRF is collaborating with international manufacturers to participate in the firefighting and rescue equipment exhibition.
“Many firefighting equipment manufacturers are participating in this exhibition, from national to international levels, though it is predominantly dominated by international producers,” he concluded.
Leave a Reply