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1 November 2002 by Herniwaty Husni in Bali On the night of 11 October, Putu Era Sambawan was on campus preparing for a weekend fundraising event. As soon as he heard of the bomb blasts in the Kuta area, the 20-year old Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia - PMI) volunteer immediately assembled five fellow volunteers and headed to the PMI Bali Chapter office. He knew from previous training sessions that there they would receive instructions on what to do. Little did he know that this night would change his life in many ways. By one a.m., Putu and a team of PMI Bali Chapter volunteers were at the scene of the tragedy, which killed more than 180 locals and tourists, injured over 500 and left hundreds more missing. "I could not believe what I saw when I first arrived," said Putu. "I have never seen such a disaster before and the scene was horrible, with fires burning and many injured people on the streets." Putu and his fellow volunteers, putting aside their feelings of shock and disbelief, immediately set to work, evacuating the injured to waiting ambulances. When the fires died down, and it was safe for them to enter the destroyed buildings, they helped to sift through the rubble looking for anyone left alive or locating bodies that needed to be evacuated to the morgue. This they did with their bare hands, as they had no equipment in the first few hours after the attack. It was here too that they found a Caucasian lady still alive amid the destruction. Putu recalled having to walk for more than 300 metres to locate an ambulance to take her to hospital. "It felt a little creepy in the beginning," says Putu, who is trained in disaster response as part of the Rapid Response Team, or Satgana, of the Bali Chapter. "But I tried not to think about it and just went on with the work assigned to me." Although he managed to 'not think about it' while he was working that night, Putu still suffers from the after effects of his tasks. He is unable to forget the smell and sight of the burnt bodies, so much so that he still refuses to eat meat, especially if it is barbecued or grilled. Putu remembers feeling an assortment of fear, fatigue and helplessness as he worked at the scene of the tragedy. But when he saw friends and relatives of the dead and injured crying and feeling helpless, he willed himself to be brave and strong. He knew he had to do everything in his power to help, both the living and the dead. Two days after the explosions, Putu, like other PMI volunteers, was assigned a new task of assisting at the local hospital morgue. Working in eight-hour shifts, they try to maintain the dignity of those who perished in the attack, placing ice on the bodies to prevent them from decaying. They are also helping forensic teams to identify the dead, which will be a long and arduous task. Now, more than three weeks after the tragedy, Putu's life is returning to normal. Heving missed the first ten days, he has started attending classes at the university. Sleeping is also easier now. But Putu knows that his life and what he knows has changed. Although he has been a volunteer for two years, it was only through this horrific experience that he learnt what the Red Cross really stands for. "Before, I only recognised the red cross sign. Through training and past experiences, I knew that the Red Cross helps people," said Putu. "Now, I know what it really means to be part of the Red Cross family." According to this remarkable young man, being part of the Red Cross is different from being part of other organizations. As a Red Cross volunteer, he accepts that he must always be ready to respond where there is need. He knows that this means sacrificing time, material things and feelings to assist those who need help. "I'm okay with it and I enjoy it," he says. The fund raising event that Putu and his friends were planning before the tragedy was a great success. Having raised three million rupiah (approximately US$380), the funds will be used to recruit more PMI volunteers at his university and to provide for the less fortunate on an off-shore island. And the Caucasian lady found in the rubble is reportedly alive in Australia. Related links: Red Cross continues to take lead in Bali response Indonesia: appeals, updates and reports Make a donation |
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