Around 1,500 Harita Nickel personnel and residents of Kawasi village took part in a large-scale emergency response exercise on Obi Island, with local authorities joining efforts to strengthen coordination and disaster preparedness.
Located relatively far from major emergency assistance centres, Obi Island requires specific measures to ensure readiness in the event of an emergency. The ability to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner is therefore essential for both the company and surrounding communities.
As part of these efforts, Harita Nickel once again held its Large Scale Exercise (LSE), a large-scale emergency response drill. The exercise brought together employee representatives from all business units operating in the Obi Industrial Area, along with residents of Kawasi Village. It was designed to test emergency response procedures and strengthen coordination among stakeholders in addressing various potential emergency situations.
Harita Nickel's Vice President of OHS & Management System, Supriyanto Suwarno, said the exercise was designed based on the characteristics of the company's operational area and evaluations of previous exercises. Potential emergencies may arise from both operational activities and natural hazards, making it essential to continuously strengthen personnel readiness and community support.
“In an emergency, no party can act alone. Everyone needs to work together to ensure an effective response,” he said.
This year's exercise involved approximately 1,500 personnel undertaking various roles, from planning and management to incident control and evacuation. The scenarios covered potential emergencies arising from natural disasters and operational incidents, with a focus on landslide-prone areas, residential settlements and power generation facilities. The exercise also took into account developments in the operational area, including newly established facilities that had not been covered in previous drills.
Head of Prevention and Preparedness at the South Halmahera Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Riski Triandini ASM, ST, highlighted the importance of such exercises in ensuring that personnel understand their respective procedures and responsibilities during emergencies. He also noted improvements in participants' understanding compared with the previous year's exercise.
“Exercises like this help test procedures while familiarising personnel with the appropriate responses, enabling them to act quickly and effectively without panicking,” he said.
According to Riski, regular exercises are essential to maintaining these capabilities. Community preparedness also deserves attention, as residents living near operational areas may be directly affected when a disaster occurs.
In Kawasi Village, community involvement has been further strengthened through the establishment of the Village Disaster Preparedness Team (Tim Siaga Bencana Desa or TSBD). Kawasi Village Secretary Frans Datang welcomed the LSE, noting that it provided residents with an opportunity to better understand the steps they should take in an emergency.
Yunince, one of the residents who participated in the exercise, expressed hope that similar activities would be held regularly to help the community become more familiar with emergency response and self-evacuation procedures.
“I hope exercises like this can be held every year so that residents always remember what to do when a disaster occurs,” she said.
From the provincial government, Policy Technical Reviewer at the North Maluku Provincial Disaster Management Agency, Gamal Hadi, ST, MPA, emphasised that disaster preparedness requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including businesses and local communities. He also encouraged improvements in early warning system coverage, the provision of backup systems in the event of power outages, and broader communication of emergency procedures to ensure they are understood by all employees and community members.
Feedback from BPBD will contribute to evaluations aimed at improving preparedness for future exercises. Through the LSE, Harita Nickel seeks to continuously strengthen emergency procedures, coordination and the allocation of responsibilities. In doing so, the company aims to build preparedness not only across its operational environment but also among the communities living in its surrounding areas.