UNAIR NEWS – The Ministry of Community Service from Student Executive Board (BEM) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) introduced children of Sukolilo Baru Village to fire mitigation through education visit to the Surabaya Fire and Rescue Department (DPKP) District 3, Rungkut Industri, on Sunday, September 20, 2026. This activity, which is a part of Airlangga Dekat Masyarakat Surabaya (AKSARA) 2026 activity series, was attended by 20 children and featured an interactive learning approach designed to introduce the firefighter profession and foster fire prevention awareness from an early age.
This visit served as one of the AKSARA 2026 educational efforts to address the community’s needs regarding fire prevention. Through interactive activities, children learn about fire causes, prevention steps, and steps to take when facing emergencies.
Learn about fire mitigation with excitement
The group of participants gathered at TBM Avicenna before heading to the Surabaya DPKP District 3 office with the representatives from AKSARA 2026’s committees. Upon arrival at the location, the children received a workshop regarding fire safety and introduction to various firefighting equipment.
The participants also had the opportunity to try on firefighter uniforms, see the operational vehicles, and take a ride in a fire truck. The activity concluded with a water game with the firefighters, which made the atmosphere even more exciting.
The Platoon Commander (Danton) of the Surabaya DPKP District 3, Wahyudi, urged the public to remain vigilant against the risk of fires, particularly during the dry season.
“May Surabaya citizens will always be protected by God. We urged Surabaya citizens to always follow the rules and not burn trash irresponsibly because it’s still in the dry season and there were many fires,” he said.
Fostering courage and empathy in children
The enthusiasm of the participants were noticeable during the Q n A session. Keke, one of the participants, said that he gained new experiences through this activity.
“I learned a lot. I loved it the most when we played a water game, but it didn’t last very long,” he said.
BEM UNAIR Director General of Social Affairs, Mohammad Wahyu Ramadani, explained that this event was organized specifically to foster children’s courage and empathy from an early age through an exciting method.
“This activity was chosen not to solely introduce firefighting to children, but also to foster their courage and empathy from an early age with an exciting method,” he explained.
Through this visit, children of Sukolilo Baru Village gained direct experiences regarding firefighters’ jobs and understanding simple steps to prevent fires. Hopefully, this knowledge can foster their empathy and readiness in their neighborhood.
Author: Nabila Afifah Abida
Editor: Ragil Kukuh Imanto
