Enviro News Asia, Riau — The Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) has prepared specialized paratroopers to support efforts to extinguish forest and land fires (karhutla) in areas that are difficult to access by land.
The personnel are part of the Rapid Response Disaster Management Force (PRCPB), which has been prepared to respond quickly to emergency situations in the field. The specialized team is equipped with personal protective equipment to support operations in fire-affected areas.
Commander of the XIX/Tuanku Tambusai Regional Military Command, Major General TNI Agus Hadi Waluyo, said the TNI had prepared its best paratroopers to be deployed directly to selected locations using free-fall techniques.
The deployment is intended to enable personnel to reach fire locations quickly and assist firefighting operations in areas that are difficult to access through conventional routes.
“We have prepared our best paratroopers to conduct free-fall operations in certain areas so they can reach the locations directly and extinguish the fires,” Agus said during a wildfire management meeting attended by President Prabowo Subianto in Riau on Monday (24 August).
During the meeting, President Prabowo confirmed the availability of the team prepared to support wildfire response operations.
“Is the team already here?” Prabowo asked.
“Yes, the Alpha Team has been prepared,” Agus responded.
“Okay, good,” Prabowo said.
In addition to free-fall operations, TNI personnel have been equipped with other capabilities and techniques to support operations in difficult terrain. These include rappelling using specialized equipment and the use of paramotors to improve mobility and reach areas that cannot be easily accessed by conventional vehicles.
Agus said paratroopers from various units had been assembled to support the operation.
“We have gathered our free-fall paratroopers from the central units here,” he said.
The deployment is part of the TNI’s efforts to accelerate wildfire response through coordination with local governments and other relevant agencies. By utilizing its personnel, military units and equipment, the TNI aims to support affected communities, protect vulnerable areas and prevent wildfires from spreading further and disrupting the environment and public activities.
The deployment of specialized paratroopers to support wildfire response also drew attention from President Prabowo. He praised the use of free-fall capabilities for humanitarian missions, particularly to support water distribution and wildfire management.
“I think this is the first time in our history that we have done this. Good!” Prabowo said.
The President emphasized that the capabilities of TNI special forces and paratroopers should be utilized for the benefit of the public, particularly during emergencies that require rapid response.
“But now we are using it to provide water assistance. Good, very good,” Prabowo added.
The specialized capabilities are expected to enable personnel to reach affected areas more quickly, particularly locations where ground access is limited or where difficult terrain poses challenges to conventional firefighting operations. (*)
