Executive Summary

This Community Disaster Preparedness 2008 study is a joint initiative of Radio Djati FM and Health Communication Resources for the purpose of assessing the current levels of knowledge and awareness of disaster-preparedness among the people of Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar in the wake of the December 2004 earthquake and tsunami

The intent is to use the findings of this study to develop radio programs and associated activities leading to raised levels of awareness about disaster–preparedness in the communities, and especially among the most vulnerable sectors of the community. The station seeks to do this by working in close partnership with government and non-governmental agencies (NGOs) as well as with the communities themselves

Field research was conducted with the help of other interested parties. Twenty one students (19 post-graduate plus 2 undergraduate) from the Ar-Raniry Institute of Islamic Studies conducted the field surveys. The focus group interviews/discussions were conducted with the help of nine local NGOs while HCR and Radio Djati conducted a series of interviews with key government officials

The objectives of the study were as follows:

To establish a baseline of the current level of awareness so that the station knows and understands where the information gaps lie
To identify the potential impact that DMP radio programming can have on their lives
To stimulate the wider community to become involved with Radio Djati in educating the community for disaster mitigation and preparedness
To provide the foundation for an on-going series of planning, training and community-oriented radio programming that will help reduce the ultimate vulnerability of the Acehnese people in the event of future disasters

A random sample survey (n=984) was used to question the inhabitants of nine (9) sub-districts of Banda Aceh while eight focus groups were conducted in Aceh Besar among vulnerable people – the elderly, women, children and the disabled. Six key informant interviews were conducted with key officials representing government agencies involved in various aspects of disaster management, including disaster preparedness and mitigation, and disaster response

The survey helped identify where people were, what they were doing and how they responded when the earthquake and tsunami struck. It sought to assess what previous knowledge they had of what to do and compared it with what they now know in the light of experience and information campaigns. It also sought to identify what critical needs they faced, what information they sought and where they found it. In the midst of this what role do the media play in their lives and what are their radio listening habits?. It gives insights into the importance of relationships within the family and among neighbours, and the roles of the masyarakat, the meunasah/mosque, their faith, and the coffee shops in their lives. Practically it also revealed which radio stations people were listening to

More in-depth understanding of what people experienced and how they survived was gathered through the focus group interviews among the vulnerable. Heart-rending personal accounts told of the personal grief and trauma and added a lot of personal insights

The responses of each group were assessed in terms of their preparedness/knowledge, their information needs, their basic needs, their experience of fear, trauma and loss, their vulnerability, their religious observance, their means of survival and the role of media in their lives. Approximately 10% of those interviewed indicated that they had been permanently or temporarily disabled as a direct result of the tsunami

A further dimension was provided by the key informant interviews as government officials told of their experiences, their frustrations and concerns. Interviews yielded much useful information not only of the past but also the current issues that are being faced and current plans to better prepare the community through education and awareness campaigns and the prospects and trials of the early-warning system

Main Findings

Among those who survived 60% were in their homes when the earthquake struck but this dropped to 40% by the time the tsunami hit. Most people survived by running away but two-thirds identified the loss of family and friends. One half cited emotional and psychological trauma while three-quarters of those surveyed lost their homes or had them badly damaged and one-third lost their source of income
The widespread fear of another disaster being imminent led to panic. There was also fear over the spread of disease. Government agencies were decimated by loss of staff, buildings, vehicles and communication equipment. Coordination was the major challenge coupled with the collection and dissemination of information in the first few days and weeks
Focus group interviews revealed that there was virtually no previous knowledge of tsunamis and no stories had been handed down. But in spite of this a significant number of people knew to look for a safe place. Seventy percent (70%) first knew of advancing tsunami wave from observing the behaviour of others while 12% commented on hearing sounds. Only a very small minority (1%) were warned by the traditional village alarm
There appears to be little awareness of preparedness of any kind. Many interpreted the disaster to be the arrival of Judgment Day. Many turned to prayer or called others to pray. Much attention is now being drawn to the need for disaster preparedness and making their environment safer
Radio messages have helped people recognize that DMP saves lives. Forty one percent (41%) affirmed this while another 19% acknowledged there is something they can do to reduce the impact of a disaster. Newspapers and television were also identified as a useful source of information by two-thirds of those interviewed. Apart from media the most popular sources of information was seen as being the masyarakat (community), warkop (coffee shops) and meunasah (local mosque)
Questions asked to assess the current level of preparedness for various disasters reveal a number of misconceptions. While most chose to run to higher ground a worrying 35% selected the option to wait in their homes for further instructions when a tsunami happens. This suggests that there is much work yet to be done in terms of what people need to know. Many would also like to make their homes safer
Government officials state that people are not yet ready to face another disaster. Many are still in a state of trauma. The infrastructure is not yet in place. People know instinctively to run but they need direction on where to run to. More escape buildings need to be built and upper floors allocated as possible refuges
Reliable information is one of the most critical needs immediately following a major disaster, but in Aceh all regular media channels were totally destroyed. Most people sought information from family, the meunasah/mosque and from friends and neighbours. Most were immediately anxious to know where to find their loved ones, where to go to be safe, and what happened. Two days later most people sought information from the community and the meunasah/mosque
Today national and provincial governments are recognising the need for getting reliable information out quickly and efficiently and new agencies have been setup. They recognise the need for information campaigns and the vital role the media can play. They would like to work more closely with media agencies in a concerted effort. People living in Aceh face the constant threat of natural disasters and the community needs to come to grips with the ever-present risks
Two-thirds of Banda Aceh residents listen to radio every day. Besides listening at home one-quarter also listen on their mobile phones or with their friends and neighbours (17%) or at the warkop (12%). Radio Djati is among the top five most listened to radio stations in Banda Aceh all with a reach of 45% or more

Special Needs of Vulnerable People

Elderly Men: They often hold respected positions in their community and still feel a sense of responsibility for it. The disaster taxed this sense of responsibility to the limit. In spite of their seniority they had no previous experience of tsunami. Most of their information is found in the meunasah/mosque or warkop. Their over-riding need was for food for their family and where to find it. Their main sense of vulnerability comes from their being slow or unsteady. In addition they still feel responsible for their wider family, though at the same time increasingly dependent upon it. As village leaders some became the objects of criticism. Their religious observance is taken very seriously and especially their devotion to prayer at the time of the disaster. Some felt strongly that Allah had saved them miraculously. They also appreciated help given them by others whether food or in their ability to escape
Elderly Women: They are predominantly housewives and food sellers. Generally they felt totally unprepared for the disaster but would like to be better prepared next time especially by strengthening their homes and by knowing what to take with them. They all felt great responsibility toward their children while feeling increasingly dependent on them. They also mentioned the need for good mental preparedness. They live in fear of another tsunami and many are still traumatized, but point to prayer and chanting as the best way of addressing these fears. Their response to the disaster tended to be passive preferring to remain in their homes
Non-elderly Women: They asked questions about why they were not warned in advance. They also expressed concern over their daily needs in providing for their families. They expressed concern over the vulnerability of children, both in the flood and in the street accidents as people panicked. Survival was difficult as they were torn between the need to care for their children and their own personal safety. Some died as they returned to their homes. Some expressed their own inner strength and resolve, much of it buoyed up by their prayers. Many in the group were able to set up their livelihoods again to generate some income with assistance from various agencies
Children: The trauma of the disaster affected the children differently in many respects given the horrors they had experienced in their relatively short lifetime. The shock of losing close family and their homes caused much grief and they were often prevented from sleeping by fear of a recurring disaster at night time. The horror of locating dead bodies, especially family members, was significant. Many were playing outdoors at the time of the disaster. Many who were killed had been drawn to the beach out of curiosity when the waters receded. As an age group with no previous experience they depended very much on adults for their safety. They were being helped in understanding that Allah still loved them and showed his love to them through other people who provided help. Children had been encouraged to stay together when they ran to safety, many to the mosque. As a group young children tend not to be very familiar with media though some listened to music programs on handy-phone radio, or had watched Metro TV
Disabled: One in every ten people interviewed became physically disabled to some extent as a result of the tsunami. Nearly twice as many men as women were disabled. Most do not live alone. It appears that those who became disabled were living in those areas that were hit hardest and where most homes were destroyed. As a group they expressed greater sense of helplessness and dependence on others and this gave rise to further fear. This was especially true of blind people and those who had lost parents. They also expressed more interest in helping reduce the risk and showed much interest in the spread of information by radio. All members believe they survived because of the goodness and mercy of Allah and expressed the opinion that preparedness cannot prevent disasters from happening. They consider mosques as an especially safe place for refuge but also say that transportation would greatly help their chances of survival

Interviews with key local government officials

The six interviews provide valuable insights into the activities of government agencies as they engaged in the process of recovery. We hear firsthand of the challenges they faced in the aftermath of the tsunami. Chief among these was the need to normalize society and get the crippled infrastructure working once again, at a time when information flow was non-existent and communication channels totally destroyed

The mayor of Banda Aceh speaks eloquently to these challenges, together with representatives from SATKORLAK, DISTAMBEN, BMG, Dinas Sosial and INFOKOM We learn of their plans to bring disaster preparedness to the people through a wide variety of programs, starting with schools and communities. They all endorse the value of the media in helping further their programs. They share common concerns for the need for getting the early warning system working, and the need of the population at large to both trust and understand it

The head of the BMG monitoring station in Mata Ie, which has responsibility for monitoring earthquakes would like to see links forged between BMG and radio stations so that when another disaster strikes the information can be disseminated immediately without likely risk of disruption

Conclusions and Recommendations

There is room for many conclusions to be drawn but we have sought to identify some of the main ones:

Much remains to be done in preparing people for another disaster. Many are still in shock
Better coordinated and more extensive programs are needed to inform and educate various sectors of the community. It needs to work across sectors while being firmly grounded in local communities. The media also have a key role to play
The gathering and sharing of information is everybody’s responsibility when disaster strikes, not just the responsibility of agencies. Everyone stands to benefit from a cooperative approach
Government agencies and mass media need to urgently work on coordinating their efforts to disseminate disaster information, not least information regarding the tsunami early warning system
Radio and TV stations in Banda Aceh need to increase their capability to withstand disasters and train their staff
Special attention needs to be given to vulnerable people who are most at risk

We therefore recommend the following:

That partnership and cooperation be a feature of the on-going programs. This should be across sectors and include government agencies, NGOs and local community leaders
That radio stations develop plans for how to respond to disasters in cooperation with local government and community leaders. They have a vital role to play
That mass media and radio in particular play a key role in helping inform and educate the community so that they are better prepared and aware, as well as encouraged to understand the practical things they can do in times of disaster
That radio and TV stations develop the capability to survive disasters and to be on the air with appropriate information-based programming shortly after disasters strike. This also involves training of staff
The development of integrated action plans for disaster-preparedness These might include the following:
1. Specialist program initiatives for vulnerable people
2. Develop disaster preparedness programs in conjunction with other developmental programs. They can be a component of micro-finance and livelihood programs, maternal and childcare programs, water and sanitation programs, and should not remain separate
3. Development of emergency procedures with local and national government agencies
4. Development of DMP programs with government agencies and NGOs
5. Ensuring radio and TV stations are ready to perform key roles of media in emergency