The inauguration of the inclusive evacuation route pilot project by (from left) ITS Rector Prof Dr Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng, the UK Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Owen Jenkins CMG, and YPAB Chair Prof Dr HR Soedarso

ITS Campus, ITS News – Located on tectonic plates, Indonesia is often hit by earthquakes. Because of that, the British Government in collaboration with the Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) appointed Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) in the implementation of an Inclusive Evacuation Route Pilot project, inaugurated at the Extraordinary Middle and High School for the Blind (LB-A) YPAB, Sukolilo, Surabaya, Thursday (2/12).

This inclusive evacuation route pilot project is one of the Global Future Cities Program (GFCP) projects in collaboration with the British Government, Surabaya City Government, and ITS. They developed this program to support the rights of persons with disabilities to create a friendly environment for people with disabilities and vulnerable groups, including in disaster mitigation and evacuation.

A teacher with a disability at YPAB’s Extraordinary Middle and High School for the Blind (LB-A) (front) tested the inclusive evacuation route 

The project was officially inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting procession by the British Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor Leste Owen Jenkins CMG, ITS Chancellor Prof Dr Ir Mochamad Ashari MEng, YPAB Chair Prof Dr HR Soedarso, Head of the Mitigation, Earth, and Climate Change Research Center (MKPI) ITS Adjie Pamungkas ST MDevPlg PhD, as well as other ITS leadership ranks. This project was worked on directly by the ITS MKPI Research Center team.

The project’s inauguration was also livened by the angklung performance of LB-A YPAB junior high and high school students, an earthquake-evacuation simulation by YPAB school residents, and the testing of this inclusive evacuation route.

Adjie said the project started in 2019 and began constructing the evacuation route last April. Not only building evacuation routes, but the ITS MKPI Research Center team also designed a Touch and Speech Evacuation map (Evari), an imitation of existing buildings in the school environment, so that blind students have an idea of ​​the condition of their school. “We created this Evari map to complete the evacuation process to make it easier to evacuate when an earthquake occurs,” he added.

YPAB Special Junior and High School students for the Blind (LB-A) perform angklung playing at the inauguration of the Inclusive Evacuation Path Pilot Project

Furthermore, Adjie revealed, together with the Surabaya City Government, the ITS MKPI Research Center team also provided training to YPAB school residents and the surrounding community to increase knowledge about earthquake mitigation. “With this training, it is hoped that YPAB school residents can be more aware of how to evacuate when an earthquake occurs,” added the lecturer of the ITS Regional and City Planning Department (PWK).

The group photo at the inauguration of the inclusive evacuation route pilot project at LB-A YPAB Junior High School and Senior High School Surabaya

On the same occasion, ITS Rector, familiarly called Ashari, said that Indonesian earthquake awareness is still scarce. Therefore, through the MKPI Research Center, ITS continues to strive to increase public awareness of this by prioritizing persons with disabilities. “In the future, ITS continues to be committed to expanding its contribution in increasing disaster evacuation knowledge for the people of Indonesia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Owen Jenkins CMG, as the British Government representative, also delivered his remarks. He said the Inclusive Evacuation Path pilot project at YPAB’s Special Junior and High School for the Blind (LB-A) represents the UK Government’s commitment to continue supporting gender equality and social dysfunction in the world. “I hope this collaboration will continue and can be an example for the wider community,” he hoped. (nadh/ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Tyara Novia Andhin