HUMAS FH-USU: Thursday (27/08/2026), the Faculty of Law, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FH USU), actively participated in the National Seminar and Stakeholder Collaboration Forum themed “Building the Resilience of Slum Settlements through RISPKP Implementation and Community Empowerment,” held on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the DPF Room of the Faculty of Law USU. In addition to serving as the host of the hybrid event, FH USU also featured two of its academics as keynote speakers who examined the legal dimensions of fire prevention and response policies.

The activity was part of the Community Service Program of the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM) USU under the National Collaboration Scheme, resulting from a partnership between Universitas Sumatera Utara, the Faculty of Public Health of Universitas Diponegoro (FKM UNDIP), and the Medan City Government. The seminar was part of the program “Implementation of a RISPKP-Based Fire-Resilient Urban Village Model and Community Participation in Supporting Medan City Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2025,” targeting the urban villages of Belawan II, Karang Berombak, and Tegal Sari Mandala II.

The forum was attended by approximately 30 participants representing the Medan City Fire and Rescue Service, Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Housing and Settlement Area Service, Health Service, Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), representatives of the targeted subdistricts and urban villages, TP PKK, Karang Taruna, community volunteers, security and public order elements, higher education institutions, professional organizations, the business sector, and the media.

Representing the field of law, Dr. Mirza Nasution, S.H., M.Hum., of the Faculty of Law USU, emphasized that fires constitute non-natural disasters and are also part of the mandatory basic public services of local governments. He stressed that the Master Plan for Fire Prevention and Rescue Management System (RISPKP) should not be treated merely as an operational document for the fire service but must serve as an integrated regional planning instrument covering spatial planning, minimum service standards, budgeting, building supervision, and the protection of community rights.

In his presentation, Dr. Mirza explained that Minister of Home Affairs Regulation Number 14 of 2024 places fire risk analysis, prevention system plans, response system plans, public safety systems, and resilience indices as important elements of RISPKP. The document needs to be synchronized with the Regional Spatial Plan (RTRW) and Detailed Spatial Plan (RDTR), the designation of Fire Management Areas, the location of fire stations, road networks, water supplies, hydrants, and risk-area zoning. It should also serve as a ten-year roadmap for addressing infrastructure gaps and improving compliance with building safety standards.

Meanwhile, Dr. Zulfi Chairi, S.H., M.Hum., also an academic at the Faculty of Law USU, highlighted the importance of strengthening public legal awareness. He explained that communities have the right to protection, information, education, training, and opportunities to participate in fire prevention and response. At the same time, communities also have an obligation to use electricity and fire safely, maintain access to safety facilities, prepare for emergencies, and remain aware of risks in their surroundings.

According to Dr. Zulfi, legal awareness should not stop at simply knowing the regulations but must be reflected in everyday practices, such as checking electrical installations, avoiding damaged cables and power outlets, securing sources of fire, providing fire extinguishers, keeping evacuation routes clear, reporting potential hazards, and participating in simulations. He emphasized that a fire-aware culture is built gradually through the processes of knowing, caring, acting, reminding one another, and participating.

In his keynote speech, Head of the Medan City Fire and Rescue Service, Wandro Abadi Agnellus Malau, S.STP., explained that fire services must reach all areas fairly, including women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and low-income communities. He also reported that in 2025, 244 out of 251 fire incidents, or approximately 97 percent, were responded to in less than 13 minutes, although strengthening fire stations, equipment, personnel, and community participation remains necessary.

Other speakers, including Dr. Bina Kurniawan, S.KM., M.Kes., Destanul Aulia, S.KM., MBA, M.Ec., Ph.D., and Ardhani Syahputra, AP, M.SP., complemented the discussion from the perspectives of occupational safety, community empowerment, and the technical implementation of RISPKP in the field.

The forum emphasized that cross-sector collaboration must go beyond simply having a list of invited participants. Each party, including higher education institutions, needs to have clear roles, responsibilities, contributions, and evaluation mechanisms. Through the direct involvement of its two academics, the Faculty of Law USU reaffirmed its commitment to overseeing the legal and governance aspects of fire disaster prevention and response policies, in line with the role of higher education institutions in supporting local policy development.

As a follow-up, a 90-day action plan was developed covering participatory risk mapping, volunteer recruitment, SOP development, basic training, as well as joint simulations and evaluations in the three targeted urban villages. Through this seminar and collaboration forum, USU—including the Faculty of Law—together with UNDIP, the Medan City Government, and other stakeholders, is encouraging RISPKP implementation to reach the community level, with a strong legal foundation as the basis for its sustainability.