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Outspoken firefighter dismissed after exposing alleged corruption, inadequate equipments
An outspoken firefighter known for his criticism of alleged corrupt practices and inadequate equipment did not have his contract renewed by the Depok Fire and Rescue Agency.
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Two firefighters from Cimanggis Fire Station in Depok city, West Java, show how to use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) on Oct. 21, 2024. A firefighter from the fire station died on Friday because of a lack of working SCBAs. (Kompas/Aguido Adri)
T
he Depok Fire and Rescue Agency has decided not to renew the contract of Sandi Butar Butar, 33, known for his outspoken criticism of nonfunctional firefighting equipment and alleged corruption within the agency.
Sandi, stationed at the Cimanggis Fire Station, received his termination letter on Monday, four days after acting head of the agency’s Fire and Rescue Operations Control division Tesy Haryanti signed it.
“We express countless gratitude for the efforts and dedication that you have given to the Depok Fire and Rescue Agency," the termination letter reads, as quoted by Kompas.
Tesy confirmed Sandi's dismissal on Tuesday, citing an evaluation of 140 firefighters. She did not provide further details on the evaluation results or the specific reasons beyond the non-renewal of Sandi's contract.
"There are three personnel whose contracts are not to be renewed, so it's not just one [Sandi]," Tesy said on Tuesday, as quoted by Kompas.
Sandi said he had tried to inquire about the dismissal, but to no avail. He worked as a firefighter for nine years, from Nov. 10, 2015, to Dec. 31, 2024.
He frequently voiced concerns about inadequate firefighting equipment through social media posts, which went viral. His posts included videos highlighting damaged equipment such as water hoses, nozzles, rubber boats, chainsaws and personal protective gear.
