Indonesian Earthquake First Response Radio

A FIRST RESPONSE training course being held in Jakarta, Indonesia, suddenly went 'live' with their practical project when two earthquakes hit the island of Sumatra in October.

Go to Disaster Response radio

Within days of the massive Indonesian earthquake in Padang, FEBC had dispatched a First Response team to the area.

The five-member team carried a suitcase studio with transmitter, antenna, 20 shortwave radios and a generator.

Of the 18 - 20 FM stations in the area, only RRI, the national broadcaster and one commercial station were still on air.

'God is truly in this'

The team leader immediately met with the national disaster coordinating agency who directed them to the most urgent need for radio in the northern town of Pariaman, 48 km from Padang.

The First Response leader said, 'I was overwhelmed by how our team was so well received and supported at the very highest levels - God is truly in this.'

The next day a second team arrived with another 100 radios and batteries for distribution to people in the area.

Local disaster coordinators were grateful to receive and distribute the whole stock of portable radios from the FEBC International Office. FEBC USA supporters then gave a further 1000 radios for distribution to the survivors.

Working with World Vision

The team met with World Vision International staff who were extremely glad of this trained disaster response team’s communications assistance. They cooperatively provided disaster response radio programs about shelter, health education and procuring safe water.

 

Radios - a valuable tool

Go to Give a Radio

 

Within a week of the earthquake FEBC International Office staff in Singapore had packed, labelled, placed 28 boxes containing 1040 radio receivers into a delivery truck. This then left for Changi airport and was loaded on a 737 cargo jet chartered through the assistance of Missionary Expediters. A day later these 1040 radios were delivered to the First Response station in Pariaman and then distributed to those who were in great need.