Fire disaster preparedness in urban kampongs (Case study of Kampong Kulitan Semarang)

A fire hazard is a disaster whose process is always unpredictable. The extent of its coverage and how significant the impact it will have is unpredictable. Dense settlements, especially in big cities, including Kampong Kulitan Semarang, have never escaped the physical problems of the area, including the danger of fire. In densely populated areas, fires have the most potential to become a disaster. This research is motivated by the high number of fire cases in Semarang City in 2020, as many as 570 cases. Kampong Kulitan is an area that is densely populated and densely built. Hence, the risk of fire in this area is high, and the community of Kampong Kulitan must have prepared. Preparedness is an activity to deal with disasters through quick and appropriate steps to minimize property losses and loss of life. The study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative method by conducting direct observations and interviews in the kampong Kulitan. Kampong Kulitan is an urban kampong with a relatively high residential density. The houses in Kampong Kulitan have historical value because, in the past, this area was owned by a wealthy landowner named Tasripin and his family, who were engaged in the business of tanning leather. The people who inhabit the kampong Kulitan are divided into 2, namely the descendants of the Tasripin family as landlords and migrants from other areas of Javanese ethnicity, most of whom work in the informal sector. Kampong Kulitan is a high-density village with narrow road conditions and a row of densely packed houses. There are also many multi-story housings, and there are also many housings that use combustible materials. These environmental conditions can facilitate the spread of fire in the event of a fire. Based on the research results, it is known that the level of preparedness of the people of Kampong Kulitan is in the category of being unprepared. The lack of community preparedness in dealing with fire disasters is caused by inhibiting factors, namely internal factors such as the lack of community knowledge about physical vulnerability, and external factors, namely the lack of training and simulation of disaster preparedness. In order to improve the already formed Kampung Kulitan, it is necessary to apply a passive fire protection system. It is recommended to make more use of fire-resistant materials, suitable electrical installation arrangements, as well as the use of roads as building separators, and community preparedness in dealing with fire incidents by utilizing existing potential, such as wells, river water, and cooking culture outside the home or on the terrace. The urban village can cooperate with the BPBD of Semarang to routinely hold training and disaster preparedness on a massive, equitable, and sustainable basis, especially in dense settlements.