Implementation of ITS Semeru 2022 Disaster Mitigation Activities for the installation of an Early Warning System in the Kobokan Bulk, Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, Lumajang Regency

ITS Campus, ITS News – The Disaster Compartment of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Alumni Association (KK IKA ITS) collaborates with the ITS Directorate of Student Affairs (Ditmawa) to carry out disaster care activities again. This time, by installing the Early Warning System (EWS) equipment through the Semeru 2022 Mitigation Activity Mission which was carried out for a week starting on February 23, in the Kobokan Bulk, Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, Lumajang Regency.

The Head of the Sub-directorate (Kasubdit) for Student Development at the ITS Ditmawa Dr. Eng Yeyes Mulyadi ST MSc explained that this activity began with coordination regarding the installation location of the EWS equipment. Socialization was also carried out to the surrounding community about the existence and importance of EWS. “EWS is an effort made as an early warning of the danger of eruptions, lava floods, and hot clouds falling from the upstream of the Kobokan Curah river in the Supiturang area,” said the Head of the ITS IKA Command Post.

Early Warning System device after installation, the result of collaboration between the ITS Student Affairs Directorate and ITS IKA

On February 26, Yeyes was accompanied by the IKA ITS Central Executive Board (PP) Ir Djuwono Hadisusanto MSi, Dr. Ginanjar Yoni Wardoyo ST MT CEIA, and Ahmad Yazid Basthomi from the ITS IKA KK Expert Council. The device consists of a tower containing two sirens with a 120 dB independent power supply, an inverter, a remote control, and a system device connected to a monitoring post.

A team of ITS students when installing the Early Warning System (EWS) in the Mount Semeru area

Ginanjar Yoni Wardoyo explained that the EWS unit was connected to the monitoring post for the local Volunteer Association of the Foot of Mount Semeru (REKG) volunteers. In addition, it is also connected to EWS devices built by a previous network of volunteers who have installed CCTV from several monitoring points. “They have also made an application for monitoring conditions in real-time and can be downloaded in the Playstore under the name JaGa Semeru application,” he added.

The process of installing the Early Warning System in the Mount Semeru area with the help of local volunteers

Meanwhile, Ahmad Yazid Basthomi said that the installation of EWS in the Kobokan Curah river delta is very important to protect the community and workers who start mining. In addition, the area is used as the only alternative route for transportation to Malang. “With two sirens up to a radius of 500 meters, it is enough to provide early warning if there is a danger that slides from the upstream of the river which empties into the Semeru eruption avalanche area,” said the man who is familiarly called Yazid.

The painting process on the Early Warning System by the ITS student team and local volunteers

Through this EWS device, it is also hoped that it can bring benefits to the community. The installation of the EWS in the form of a siren from the IKA ITS KK is expected to be a pilot project that can be duplicated by anyone in any disaster area. “This EWS will continue to be refined and developed with sensor technology that will automatically trigger sirens when there is a danger of flooding and/or hot clouds falling from upstream or the peak of Mount Semeru,” concluded Yazid.

This activity fielded a team of students from various departments at ITS. Chaired by Edwin Selanjaya with members consisting of Adhe Wicaksono, Aditya Wasista Toyib, Qul Mauladi, Arista Tri Kurnia Surin, Bernadus Daniel Sasmito Atmodiharjo, and Michael Novaryan. (AJ/ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Rayinda Santriana US