"The exercises is an annual affair, and this time the Bali SAR involved rescuing potentials and personnel," Didi Hamzar head of the operational exercise and standardization service of the National SAR Agency (Basarnas) and exercise director said on Friday.
The exercises involving SAR personnel from the Navy and Water Police forces were held from Thursday through Saturday this week involving a total of 80 personnel.
Dedi said the exercises were also aimed at increasing the cooperation between the two countries.
"Trouble in the border areas between the two countries will be coordinated with the RCC first by whoever is nearest," he said.
Dedi added that in the exercises the participants did not know what they are facing, when and where.
Besides involving joint personnel, the exercises also involved special rescuing equipment like Basarnas helicopters and rigid hulled inflatable boats from Bali.
Murray Brisset from the National Search and Rescue School in Australia hoped with the joint exercises Australia and Indonesia would test and determine the effectiveness of SAR units and other SAR facilities in Indonesia and Australia.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
