IN a recent article published during Bulan Kesiapsiagaan, I highlighted a critical message that warrants ongoing attention: robust disaster preparedness is fundamentally rooted at the community level.
While governments and agencies develop comprehensive plans, policies, and systems, it is essential to acknowledge that the initial moments following any incident are pivotal.
During this crucial period—before emergency professionals arrive—it is local community members who play a decisive role in outcomes.
Their immediate responses often determine whether lives are saved or lost, well before official support is mobilised.
Nature presents us with four elemental forces—soil, water, wind, and fire—that sustain life and underpin livelihoods.
However, each element carries inherent risks that, if mismanaged or misunderstood, can become hazardous to safety, property, the environment, and business continuity.
This delicate equilibrium underscores the necessity for every individual, irrespective of location, to proactively adopt safety measures based on precaution, prevention, and protection—the 3Ps forming the cornerstone of resilient communities.
For decades, Malaysians have believed that their geographic position outside the Pacific Ring of Fire offered significant geological protection, shaping both policy frameworks and public perceptions.
The 2015 earthquakes in Mount Kinabalu and Ranau, Sabah, challenged this notion, acting as a national alert that seismic risks, though statistically infrequent in East Malaysia, are not absent.
In Sarawak, tremors remain rare and usually mild; nonetheless, the potential for low-probability but high-impact events reinforces the importance of preparedness as an issue of responsibility rather than fear.
A community’s resilience is measured not solely by the capacity of governmental agencies or technological sophistication but by the ability of individuals—particularly those in diverse and geographically dispersed areas—to absorb shocks, respond efficiently, and recover swiftly.
This is particularly pertinent in Sarawak, where traditional longhouse settlements present unique social structures distinct from conventional urban environments.
These communal arrangements may enhance preparedness when embraced yet pose vulnerabilities if risks are neglected.
Building resilience requires bridging the divide between top-down management strategies and grassroots community expertise.
Organisations such as the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) and the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) spearhead formal disaster planning efforts.
However, the effectiveness of these strategies depends on their adoption and understanding at the community level, where local knowledge and adaptability must complement formal systems for a harmonised approach to preparedness.
To accomplish this, strengthening preventive and response capacities within community planning is paramount.
This includes risk identification, vulnerability mapping, resource preparation, and establishing clear communication pathways.
Simultaneously, leveraging existing knowledge—such as flood management skills prevalent in Sarawak—and adapting them to earthquake protocols is vital.
Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) initiatives offer substantial value by empowering communities through targeted training, simulation exercises, and leadership development, thereby fostering local ownership of safety practices.
Communities should be recognised as integral contributors to disaster management rather than passive recipients.
Their involvement is crucial throughout all phases of risk management, including hazard assessment, participation in drills, maintaining effective communication, and assisting in recovery operations.
Such engagement must be ingrained into daily routines rather than limited to sporadic activities.
Understanding earthquake risk begins with thorough environmental assessment to identify local vulnerabilities impacting homes and families.
Household-level preparedness is equally important; families should secure living spaces, compile emergency kits, and formulate family-specific response plans.
Practicing core techniques such as DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON is essential, encapsulated by the D.A.S.H. concept: Drop, Avoid, Secure, and Hold On.
Localised messaging is necessary to ensure relevance across remote and diverse communities.
Educational interventions should prioritise actionable knowledge delivered through hands-on training, practical drills, and simulations, which build competence more effectively than passive methods.
Trained community leaders can facilitate rapid and culturally appropriate dissemination of information through established networks.
Sarawak is strategically positioned to champion this integrated approach.
By embedding CBDRR frameworks and utilising prior experiences with flood and fire management, the region can foster a culture of comprehensive hazard resilience.
Strengthening structural integrity through modern building codes and traditional architectural practices is imperative, as is institutionalising Light Search and Rescue (LSAR) capabilities among local responders.
Augmenting communication systems is also critical; when conventional channels fail, organizations such as the Radio Amateur Drone Society (REDS) can provide essential connectivity.
Past experiences have revealed both strengths and areas for improvement in disaster response.
A consistent lesson emerges: preparedness and effective communication among communities, authorities, and supporting systems constitute the foundation of resilience.
United by knowledge and proactive engagement, Sarawak’s communities can serve as a formidable defense against future disasters.
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at khirudin.drahman@bomba.gov.my.
