President Calls For Improvement Of Rescuers Capability

Merak, Banten, March 5 (Antara) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has called on the personnel of National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to improve their capability and increase alertness since Indonesia is prone to natural disaster. "Our country is rich in natural resources but at the same time, it is prone to natural disasters. Therefore, we must always be ready. We must be able to survive in this country, which is rich in natural resources but on the other hand, geographically, it is prone to disasters," the president stated at the 42nd anniversary of Basarnas, here on Wednesday. SAR personnel and community must be physically and mentally strong because their tasks are very heavy and risky. "The tasks of Basarnas are heavy and full of risks, that need courage and skills. Everybody should be proud to be a member of Basarnas and community of rescuers. Not every man is capable of being a Basarnas personnel," he asserted. Established on February 28, 1972, Basarnas has 33 chapters in provinces across the country. The head of state is also expected to officially launch two 59-meter-long catamaran boats, called "KN Pacitan" and "KB Purworejo" respectively, to be operated by Basarnas. The new speedboats, with the speed of 29 knots, will be able to operate in bad weather. The boats also have helipads. On the occasion, there will be also SAR demonstrations by Basarnas personnel supporting by, among other things, two CASA aircrafts, two Dauphin helicopters, two BO-105 helicopters, two catamaran rescue boats, two hovercrafts, nine rubber boats, two ambulances, and two amphibious boats. The event is also expected to be attended by a number of ministers. Indonesia, located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", has the world`s largest number of historically active volcanoes, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), making it prone to earthquakes and other volcanic disruptions.