The 3rd International Conference on Earthquake Engineering and Disaster Mitigation 2016 (ICEEDM-III 2016)

StIRRRD:
A disaster risk reduction Program in Indonesia
Phil Glasseya, Iman Satyarnob *
a
GNS Science, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
b
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universistas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract
The Strengthening Indonesian Resilience: Reducing Risk form Disasters (StIRRRD) Program is a collaboration between
Universitas Gadjah Mada Indonesia and GNS Science New Zealand. The Program aims to reduce the impacts of natural
hazards in Indonesia through increasing the disaster risk reduction (DRR) capability of local government and local
universities. The Program is assisting ten selected districts/cities and associated universities to understand their hazard
and risk, helps develop their capability to understand and manage these through developing prioritised Disaster Risk
Reduction Action Plans and then assisting with implementing components of the plan. Stake holders in this program
include the community, central and local governments, local universities, NGOs and private sectors. Developing
relationships between local government and local universities is a key component of the Program, with the universities
developing teaching and research to support their local government and communities in aspects of disaster risk reduction.
Activities consist of study visits, focus group discussions, action plan workshops, training, education, and research.
Specific technical training has included Base-Isolation, Risk Modeling and Hazard and Risk Mapping. The StIRRRD
Program is hoped to be used as a model for other cities and districts in dealing with disaster risk reduction.

Keywords: Disaster Risk Reduction; Local Government; Indonesia; Action Plan; technical training; base isolation; risk modelling;
hazard and risk mapping; community.

1. INTRODUCTION

Indonesia is the world‟s largest archipelago, and its equatorial location and proximity to the “Pacific Ring of Fire”
means its population of over 220 million people is subject to many natural hazards that often result in loss of life,
livelihoods, property, and infrastructure, and can cause widespread environmental damage. There have been several
natural disasters in Indonesia, with earthquakes and tsunamis responsible for the largest disasters. The 2004 Aceh
earthquake and tsunami caused hundreds of thousands casualties [1], partly caused by the lack of understanding by the
community on how to react [1, 2]. In 2006, an earthquake in Yogyakarta caused around 5000 casualties. The earthquake
highlighted the vulnerability of community houses or non-engineered buildings from earthquake shaking, as more than
200 000 houses were damaged or collapsed [3, 4]. Not long after, in 2009, a major earthquake in Padang demonstrated
that engineered buildings, including important buildings like hospitals, are also vulnerable to an earthquake [5]. During

*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +62-818262438; Fax.: +62-274-545676
E-mail address: imansatyarno@ugm.ac.id
the same period other natural disasters, like the eruptions of Merapi Volcano in 2006 and 2010 have also contributed to
the large number of losses and casualties in Indonesia.

Disaster risk itself can be simply formulated by the following well known expression

HV
R (1)
C

where R = disaster risk, H = hazard, V = vulnerability, and C = capacity. In general the hazard cannot be reduced
therefore risk can only be reduced by reducing the vulnerability and increasing community resilience and capacity.

Realizing that Indonesia is vulnerable to many kind of disasters, the government of Indonesia through Presidential
Decree number 24 in 2007 set up a new central government authority [6] called BNPB (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan
Bencana or National Disaster Management Authority). One year later the same authority was initiated at the local
government level called BPBD (Badan Penanggunalan Bencana Daerah or Local Government Disaster Management
Authority) [7]. These two authorities work together with other stake holders, such as the community, other government
agencies, local universities, NGOs, and private sectors in managing disasters.

An overall goal of the Indonesian government is to reduce losses (economic, human, infrastructure, etc.) from natural
disasters and the 2007 law reform was the start of the process of achieving this, and is now supported by the Sendai
Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, signed in 2015. Successful risk reduction in practice includes consideration of
risk by all agencies, sharing responsibility for reducing risk, and empowering communities to be involved in risk
management decisions. Successful risk reduction practice results in better building and infrastructure location and
construction, effective warning systems and land use appropriate to the level of risk. The Indonesian Government has
recognised the need for a concerted effort to build both the capacity of local government and other agencies with a role in
DRR at a local level (e.g. spatial planning, utilities, universities, health agencies, emergency services, NGOs etc.).

Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) is partnering with GNS Science in implementing the Strengthening Indonesian
Resilience: Reducing Risk form Disasters (StIRRRD) funded by New Zealand AID programme of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Program aims to reduce the impacts of natural disasters in Indonesia through increasing
the disaster risk reduction (DRR) capability of local government in ten districts and cities, and includes local universities.
Key Indonesian Government agency partners involved in the Program are the National Disaster Management Agency
(BNPB) and the Ministry of Rural Development of Disadvantaged Regions and Transmigration (Kemendesa). As well as
having a direct involvement in the Program (staff time and resourcing complimentary and linked activities) they will
continue building resilience after the 5 year funding of the Program ends.

2. THE StIRRRD PROJECT

The StIRRRD Program evolved from a pilot project conducted in Padang and Palu from 2011 to 2013. The success of
this pilot project led to a larger program extended to eight other cities and districts (Fig.1). The Program (see Fig. 2)
involves a 3 year engagement with each district, and will be staggered over five years from 2014 to 2019.

Years 1 and 2 involve the districts developing DRR Action Plans through training workshops and training in New
Zealand to learn about different approaches and solutions to similar hazard and risk issues. The training focuses on
enabling local government (principally the local Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Planning (Bappeda) and Public
Works (PU)) and local universities to develop effective and sustainable DRR structures, plans and projects for their
districts. Training covers policy and implementation frameworks for DRR as well as risk assessment, risk
communication, community engagement and risk management methodologies. Districts that have developed successful
DRR initiatives are encouraged to share these projects with other districts through workshops and meetings in a shared
learning environment. Developing relationships between local government and local universities is a key component of
the Program, with the universities developing teaching and research programs in aspects of disaster risk management to
support their local government and communities. The StIRRRD Program focuses on improving local government‟s
ability to understand and manage its hazards and risks, improving institutional approaches to reducing risk and
improving engagement among partners.
 Fig. 1. Location of StIRRRD districts in Indonesia.

Year 3 involves assisting districts to implement Action Plan activities that are common across a few districts. Specific
Action Plan Activities identified from Padang and Palu during the Pilot Project were expert training in Base Isolation and
Risk modeling respectively, and these have been implemented and included participants from other StIRRRD districts
and universities. New implementation projects have yet to be fully identified or scoped, but will be less technical and
more community engagement/education focused.

2.1. The StIRRRD Districts and Stakeholders

The StIRRRD program involves ten selected districts/cities in four provinces (Fig. 1, Table 1). They are:
 Padang City, Pesisir Selatan District, and Agam District in West Sumatra Province
 Bengkulu City and Seluma District in Bengkulu Province
 Palu City, Donggala District, and Morowali District in Central Sulawesi
 Mataram City and Sumbawa District in West Nusatenggara Province

The districts were selected using a number of criteria including having a high risk index [8] (Table 1), already having
an established local disaster management agency (BPBD), and having well established connections between UGM and
the local university. The advice of BNPB was sought on the final selection. The districts represent a reasonable spread
geographically, vary in area and population, have a range of hazards (Table 2) and risk, and are a mix of urban and rural
areas. Four of the districts are classified as “disadvantaged”.

Stakeholders involved in the Program include:

 Central Government: BNPB, BAPPENAS, KEMENDESA, DEPDAGRI
 Local Government: BPBD, BAPPEDA, PU, and other related SKPD
 Local universities - Universitas Andalas in West Sumatra Province, Universitas Bengkulu in Bengkulu Province
Universitas Tadulako in Central Sulawesi Province, and Universitas Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara Province
 NGOs and Private Sectors
 The community.
Fig. 2. Summary of the StIRRRD Program
Table 1. Characteristics of the StIRRRD districts.
City/District Population ‘disadvantaged’ BNPB Risk Province Supporting
(kota/kabupaten) (2013) District Index 2013 University
(Rank/496)
Palu 356 280 No 110
Donggala 287 920 Yes 80 Central Sulawesi Tadulako (UNTAD)
Morowali 108 870 Yes 136

Padang 876 680 No 33

Agam 467 000 No 35 West Sumatra Andalas (UNAND)
Pesisir Selatan 440 740 No 79

Bengkulu City 334 500 No 168 Bengkulu Bengkulu (UNIB)

Seluma 181 170 Yes 73

Mataram 419 640 No 302 Nusa Tenggara Barat Mataram (UNRAM)

Sumbawa 426 130 Yes 293

Padang and Agam in west Sumatra, have relatively high risk of the 496 Districts assessed by BNPB [8], being ranked
33 and 35 respectively. Padang, a city of nearly 1 million people, is extremely vulnerable to tsunami in particular (ranked
2nd), as well as earthquake hazard. Agam is vulnerable to earthquake and tsunami and also has volcanic hazards.
Meanwhile the earthquake hazard of Central Sulawesi Province has been significantly increased by the new Indonesian
Seismic Code [9]. Sumbawa and Mataram City have the lowest risk of the ten districts.

2.2. District Vulnerability Profiles

The frequency of hazard events in each district from 2003 to 2015 is given in Table 2 [10]. The range of hazards
present in a region is heavily dependent on its geographical position and physical characteristics. Physical characteristics
include (1) topography and slope of the land, (2) hydrology, (3) climate, (4) geology, and (5) morphology. The most
common hazard events are floods followed by landslides, earthquakes, drought and extreme waves and erosion (Table 2).

Table 2. Frequency of hazards in StIRRRD districts between 2003-2015 Source: BNPB Data and
Disaster Information Indonesia, 2015 [10].

District Flood Landslide Earthquake Drought Storm Surge and

Erosion
Padang 29 12 4 0 8
Agam 14 20 3 1 2
Pesisir Selatan 21 3 6 1 3
Bengkulu City 10 0 2 1 0
Seluma 6 0 13 0 1
Mataram 4 0 0 0 5
Sumbawa 30 1 1 17 2
Palu 6 1 1 0 0
Donggala 14 3 0 2 2
Morowali 14 2 0 0 0
TOTAL 148 42 30 22 23

The unique physical and cultural conditions of each district can result in a variety of potential disasters. Hazard and
risk information, together with the base understanding of DRM policies and regulations in the districts, provides a
backdrop against which a self-assessment of the capacity and capability for DRR can be undertaken. The StIRRRD
Program has developed a Local Government–Self Assessment Survey (LG-SAT) focused solely on disaster risk
reduction [11] which assists with understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the DRR efforts in each district. This
information has been summarised into Vulnerability Profiles for each District [12] which provides a snapshot of the
Natural, Social and Cultural, Built and Economic environments, and the vulnerability of each to natural hazards. They
also describe the current Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) effort in each district. These are being used to plan and guide
DRR investment into risk reduction actions, to reduce vulnerability.

3. ACTIVITIES OF THE StIRRRD PROGRAM

Activities in the StIRRRD program consists of study visits, focus group discussion, developing a DRR action plan,
training, education, and research. Some of these activities will be explained as follows.

3.1. Site and study visits

Site and study visit are activities where the participants go to places that are vulnerable to hazards that could cause
potential disasters, regularly experience disasters or have just experienced a disaster, or where mitigation measures have
been put in place. From these visits it is hoped that the participants can increase their comprehension about hazard
impacts and possible risk reduction measures relevant to their district. The visits can be within districts, in other districts,
or even in New Zealand. Examples include visiting the remains buildings damaged by an earthquake in North Lombok in
West Nusatenggara as shown in Figure 3(a), and in Christchurch City in New Zealand as shown in Figure 3(b). In
addition the participants also visited places or buildings where counter measures have been taken to minimize the impact
of earthquakes such as the visit to Wellington Hospital in New Zealand where the building has been constructed using
base isolation as shown in Figure 4.

3.2. Action Plan Workshops

Discussions among stake holders about disaster risk reduction are carried out through Action Plan Workshops and
Focus Group Discussions (FGD). At these sessions stake holders can expresses and discusses ideas about potential
disasters, how they affect people locally, and how disaster risk can be reduced (Fig 5). The discussions include the what,
who, when, and how of disaster risk reduction, including how they district agencies coordinate with each other. Finally,
these ideas are formulated into a disaster risk reduction action plan.

Fig. 3. Site visit to the remaining of damaged buildings due to (a) 22 June 2013 North Lombok Earthquake
(b) 22 February 2011 Christchurch Earthquake
 Fig. 4. Site visit to the application of base isolation in the Wellington Hospital to keep it operational during and after major
earthquakes

Fig. 5. Focus Group Discussion between stake holders to create an action plan for disaster risk reduction activities

3.3. Expert Training

It is realized that activities for disaster risk reduction will require relevant knowledge, expertise, and will include
technology. The local universities are ideal for providing these through their education and research activities. One way
to transfer knowledge, expertise, and technology to the stake holders is through expert training, led by local universities
and other appropriate institutions. Some of the expert trainings carried out as part of the StIRRRD program are explained
as follows.

Base Isolation Training

From recent earthquakes in Indonesia it is noted that some important buildings, like hospitals, experienced heavily
damage or even collapse [13]. Such damage disrupted the hospitals operational function during and after the earthquakes
when it was needed most. One technology that can be used to secure important buildings like hospitals from disruption of
operation due to earthquakes is base isolation. An example of base isolation type is a lead rubber bearing (Fig. 4, Fig. 6)
that were first designed in New Zealand by Bill Robinson (now Robinson Seismic) and initially manufactured in New
Zealand, and are now included in many new buildings in Christchurch being constructed as part of the rebuild following
the 2011 earthquake.
 Base isolation training was carried out in Padang in February 2015 [14]. This training was delivered in a collaborative
effort by Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Andalas (UNAND), Beca New Zealand and GNS Science New
Zealand. Participants came from Local Government (5 StIRRRD cities and districts), National Government, Private
consultants and Universities. The training involved a series of lectures and discussion sessions, practical group design
work and a half–day field visit to three base-isolated buildings in Padang, including a tour of the base-isolated features of
the Ibis Hotel (Fig. 6), where the training was held. Topics included concepts of base isolation, design of new buildings
and retrofit of structures including bridges, details of isolation systems, service facility connections, base isolation of
tsunami shelters, and treatment of base isolated buildings after earthquakes.

Indonesian case studies were utilized in the training. A retrofit base-isolation design of Palu Hospital was given as an
example, and the proposed design of the new Mayor‟s Office in Bengkulu City was presented by representatives from
Bengkulu and used as an impromptu group design exercise. It was hoped that the training would assist local government
in earthquake–prone districts to argue the case for base-isolation for new important buildings, and retrofit existing ones.
Additional cost was one of the constraints identified, and there is need for ongoing education of Public Works engineers
and facility funders, at National, Provincial and District level, to consider base-isolation early in the design phase and
argue the long term cost benefits of the additional expenditure (about 10% when incorporating base isolation into new
buildings).

(a) (b)
Fig. 6: (a) the base-isolated Ibis hotel in Padang where the base isolation training was held in 2015 and (b) a lead rubber base
isolator bearing on display in the basement of the hotel.

RiskScape Training
RiskScape [15] is a risk and loss modeling tool developed and used in New Zealand by NIWA and GNS Science that
can be downloaded from internet. RiskScape software provides a modular framework to estimate impacts and losses for
assets exposed to natural hazards. RiskScape was used to illustrate various risk concepts and show how risk models are
created and utilised. The software combines hazard, asset and vulnerability modules to quantify a range of economic and
social consequences (Fig. 7). This helps practitioners make informed decisions on natural hazard management activities.
Other tools such as InaSAFE, primarily designed for emergency managers for response purposes, and OpenQuake, were
also discussed and could be incorporated into future training.

Risk modeling training [16] was held over 5 days in Palu from 19–23 October 2015. The training was organised by
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Tadulako (UNTAD), NIWA and GNS Science. Participants came from
Local Government (representing 4 provinces and 9 StIRRRD districts), and four StIRRRD universities. The training
involved a series of presentations, discussion and group work sessions, practical tutorials, and half–day field visit to
collect asset data needed for risk modeling. Topics covered included concepts of risk modeling; hazard models, exposed
assets and the vulnerability of those exposed assets to the various hazards. Groups also devised disaster scenarios for
their districts that they would like to model to determine the losses.

Fig 7. The schematic of RiskScape Software in calculating impacts and losses due a hazard [15]

It was hoped that the Universities in particular could start and develop risk modeling data, for the StIRRRD districts
and hazard modules for a number of perils. There was commitment by groups to take the training forward, collect assets
and hazard data and run scenarios utilizing the RiskScape tool.

Hazard and Risk mapping

During the Initial phase of the StIRRRD Program, it was identified that many BPBD staff did not fully understand
hazard maps, how they were generated or how to utilize them to assess risk and develop relevant policy and actions. As a
result, a Hazard and Risk mapping course was delivered to StIRRRD districts representatives by Universitas Gadjah
Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta in January 2016. The participants came from Local Government (representing the 10
StIRRRD districts from 4 provinces), and the four StIRRRD universities.

The concepts of risk, hazards (threats), vulnerability (physical and social), exposure, and capacity, as regulated in
Perka BNPB No 2 2012 [17], were introduced. Several hazards were discussed, such as earthquake, landslides, and
floods. The parameters and factors used to design thematic maps were outlined. Tutorials and guided practices on hazard
and risk mapping were conducted using GIS. Almost half of the participants had never used GIS and were introduced to
it during practical mapping exercises. A day field trip of disaster prone areas around Yogyakarta and nearby places was
included.

The training provided knowledge on hazards, vulnerability, capacity, and risk concepts, and then visualised them on
thematic maps. From this is it hoped that these skills can be utilized to:
 Interpret and utilise hazard and risk maps produced for the district government
 Develop and to update risk maps in their respective districts, with assistance from the local university, or UGM as
required.

4. COMMUNITY DISASTER RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS

New implementation projects in the Program will start in 2017 and will be identified from the Action Plans developed
in the districts. Preferably, the projects will be selected where they are common to a few districts, and multi-district
participation in the projects will be encouraged. It is intended these projects will be less technical than the training
completed to date, and will have a community engagement/education focus. Possible projects identified to date include
research, education and response planning for tsunami, understanding local faults, integrated catchment management,
and landslide and debris flow management and warning.
 The private sector is yet to fully engage in DRR planning in Indonesia and there are opportunities, especially in
agriculture and mining, for these industries to be involved in the projects and contribute to sustainable outcomes. For
example, mining or agricultural activities, that allow increased water or sediment run-off, can impact on downstream
districts, by exacerbating flooding or sedimentation of rivers, and modify the coastal environment. Hence, for example,
integrated catchment management, that requires cooperation and consensus between a number of organisations, agencies
and communities, across district boundaries, could provide sustainable benefits for all. In particular, the private sector
can gain a reputation for being a social and environmental responsible business by being actively involved in practices
that reduce impacts on the community.

5. OUTCOMES OF THE STIRRRD ACTIVITY

In two years the StIRRRD Program, along with the preceding Pilot project, has achieved significant and measurable
outputs and outcomes over and above the activities described above. Key to making an impact is to ensure that the
Program has support of the National Agencies that ultimately fund local government agencies to implement Disaster
Risk Reduction activities, and that these initiatives are well communicated to local politicians to engender support and
funding. Some of the achievements and outcomes to date include:

 Four Districts in Central Java Province have adopted a modified version of the Program and are funding UGM to
implement it.
 Action Plans have been finalized in 6 districts (including Padang and Palu) and another four have been drafted.
 The Budget for Disaster Risk Management in Palu city has increased 10%.
 A Disaster Risk Reduction Network has been established by the 10 Districts and participating universities.
 Kemendesa intend rolling out a program similar to StIRRRD in a number of districts and are adopting components
of StIRRRD into a „Resilient District‟ concept methodology, including utilising the vulnerability profile templates
for their program.
 As a result of the comparative study visit to New Zealand, BNPB are initiating a pilot Tsunami Blue Line project
[18] in Pesisir Selatan, based on the community initiative in Island Bay, New Zealand.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors acknowledge the NZ Aid programme and all the participants that have taken part in the StIRRRD
Program to date including all the team members from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia and GNS Science, New
Zealand.

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