Revamping Information Management to Boost Preparedness

The difficulty in obtaining accurate information regarding disaster events in the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province has been a persistent problem for years. By optimising the role of the Disaster Management Operations Control Center (Pusdalops PB) in managing disaster information, the supply of disaster-related information in NTT is no longer hampered. After implementing various capacity-building programs such as early warning monitoring and information and communication management, Pusdalops PB has now become the main reference not only for stakeholders but also for the residents of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).  

Ambrosius Kodo, the Head of the Subnational Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), recalls the difficulty in obtaining data and disaster-related information before he took up his position in August 2021. At that time, incoming reports were not systematically organised despite the advanced information and communication equipment available at the Pusdalops PB NTT building. There were no staff with adequate capacity to utilise the equipment. Daily activities were hardly visible at the Pusdalops PB NTT building, which was built through the Australia Indonesia Facility for Disaster Reduction (AIFDR) program in 2015. Starting in 2021, the SIAP SIAGA Program continued the support from the Australian Government by assisting in the activation of Pusdalops PB, beginning with a capacity mapping of Pusdalops PB in terms of human resources, equipment, and governance systems.

“If there’s a specific situation, the central government’s question is very simple: Has Pusdalops PB received the report yet? With such a situation, how are we supposed to answer?” said Ambrosius.

This reality was highlighted a few months earlier, in early April 2021, when a major disaster, Tropical Cyclone Seroja, hit NTT. The disaster caused the largest floods and landslides in the past 10 years across NTT. Nearly 200 people died, and tens of thousands had to evacuate due to Tropical Cyclone Seroja. However, accurate and adequate information that could be used as a reference before, during, and after the disaster was difficult to obtain.

Reflecting on that experience, Ambrosius believes that revitalising Pusdalops PB would bring many benefits. Pusdalops PB could serve as a platform for managing information related to disaster risk reduction (DRR) and emergency response. Quality disaster data that can be referenced together would also improve development planning at various government levels.

The difficulty in obtaining timely disaster information from Pusdalops PB was also acknowledged by Yusta R. Ramat, a staff member in the Prevention and Preparedness Staff of BPBD NTT, who also manages the BPBD website and social media content. Before joining BPBD NTT, Yusta worked as a journalist. As a journalist, he admitted that he relied more on information from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) rather than Pusdalops PB.

“When I first joined BPBD in 2021, several training sessions for staff were carried out before, including news writing training. However, the results were not optimal,” he said.

Momentum for Improvements

 Ambrosius’ hope of revitalising Pusdalops PB gained momentum when he met with the SIAP SIAGA Program soon after he was appointed Head of BPBD. The SIAP SIAGA Program immediately assisted him in starting the revitalisation steps.

Based on the mapping results supported by the SIAP SIAGA Program, Ambrosius identified the aspects and steps needed to build Pusdalops PB. One of these was the need for human resources (HR). The HR aspect required to be strengthened both in quantity and quality so that they could perform their duties according to existing technical guidelines. Consequently, the HR would be able to provide comprehensive information related to disasters and their management, including access to assistance.

Therefore, he requested additional staff with competencies in information technology (IT). However, the region’s fiscal limitations prevented this request from being fulfilled.

These limitations did not dampen the spirit of change. To increase the quantity of HR, for instance, Pusdalops PB and BPBD NTT shared resources. To improve staff quality, existing personnel were given training. “The path we took was to use the existing staff. They were trained in various necessary skills. The SIAP SIAGA Program also contributed here,” he said.

The impact of these trainings was evident. According to Yusta, the quality of information production, including writing, at the Pusdalops PB team significantly improved. As a former journalist, he no longer had to work extra hard to revise the team’s writing. The channels for distributing information became more diverse, ranging from official websites to various social media platforms. The types of content also varied, including written articles, infographics, and audiovisual materials.

Not only did the technical skill training help, but Ambrosius also revealed that the SIAP SIAGA Program facilitated the preparation of regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs). With technical readiness and regulatory certainty, Pusdalops PB NTT officially began operating 24/7 without interruption on January 1, 2022. Twelve staff members took turns to ensure continuous service.

Increased Public Trust

On December 14, 2021, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck NTT, raising the potential for a tsunami and necessitating early warnings. Responding to this situation, the revamped Pusdalops PB NTT immediately monitored the situation, gathering sufficient data to inform the necessary actions in each affected or potentially affected district. This information provided local governments with clearer direction in handling the evolving situation.

Gradually but surely, trust in the information flow from Pusdalops PB NTT increased. This was evident from the growing number of information accessors across all media channels. The rise in trust became crucial for BPBD NTT’s campaign and performance achievements. Improved information and communication quality through various media managed by Pusdalops PB, including the call centre (08113844777) and INATana (Disaster Monitoring and Data Application), also meant providing reassurance to residents.

“It is a source of pride for me when asked by the Governor if Pusdalops is functioning 24/7. Even reports of fallen trees are now being submitted by the public. The role of Pusdalops has been well socialised, ultimately facilitating BPBD’s preparedness campaigns,” he explained.

Nevertheless, another challenge has emerged. While information technology advancements have made it easier for the public to access Pusdalops PB NTT media channels, disaster-related misinformation can also spread quickly, sometimes based solely on subjective interpretations of weather prediction apps. According to Ambrosius, this is not a major issue for the Pusdalops PB team. By remaining active 24/7, the team can promptly respond to emerging misinformation to prevent it from spreading further and causing excessive fear.

Therefore, Ambrosius continues to emphasise that the treatment of Pusdalops PB staff must be different due to their unique work cycle and workload. He continues discussions with the NTT Provincial Organisation Bureau to address the institutionalisation of Pusdalops, ensuring it does not overlap with emergency response. “Pusdalops PB must focus on information management because it is proven to be needed not only by the public but also by decision-makers,” he said.

Pusdalops PB NTT Now and in the Future

Pusdalops PB has provided a sense of comfort and security for residents and tourists in the NTT Province due to the accurate data and information it provides. The data is verified through an effective collection process. INATana enables disaster data entry directly by regencies/cities in an integrated format with the provincial system and line with the national system. This data is routinely published through Pusdalops PB’s social media channels and the BPBD website as the main reference. This is reflected in the nearly 136,000 visits to the BPBD website managed by Pusdalops PB over almost three years, averaging about 5,000 accesses per month.

Additionally, there is the Data Corner, a database for disaster information and data that includes not only disaster events but also various aspects before and after disasters. The Data Corner at Pusdalops PB is also used to access the knowledge repository managed by the NTT DRR Forum (FPRB NTT). BPBD NTT collaborates closely to manage disaster knowledge.

Improving disaster information management in NTT through Pusdalops PB has impacted stakeholders. Disaster stakeholders, including other pentahelix elements such as business actors, universities, and the media, are now more actively discussing disaster issues in NTT. This is an important step towards resilience.

“Coordination and collaboration among pentahelix elements in disaster management have been well established, based on data and knowledge obtained from Pusdalops PB,” concluded Ambrosius.