Disaster management center opened

The Jakarta Post ,  Denpasar,  Thu, 11/13/2008

Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika laid the cornerstone for Bali's new Emergency Operations Center for Disaster Management at a ceremony in Renon, Denpasar, on Wednesday.

The ceremony was attended by French Red Cross representative Jean Arnaud Etchanchu and State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman.

"Indeed, today we are not only laying the foundations for a building. We hope this stone will also be the first part in a system, comprising people, organizations, capacities and procedures, that is focussed in responding to disasters in Bali," said Jean Arnaud in his address.

"The challenge is huge for this center to become fully operational and efficient, and I would like to reassure you that my team from the French Red Cross will do its best to assist your services to meet this challenge."

The building housing the center has been designed to be earthquake-resistant, with an independent power source and communication network.

The French Red Cross is funding the establishment of the center and plans to serve as the main coordinating body during disaster response operations.

The facility will be supported with the latest information and communication technology and supplied with ambulances, food stocks and medicine.

Kusmayanto urged locals and visitors at the ceremony not to be afraid or frightened by the center's disaster response drills.