PORTALJABAR, PANGANDARAN REGENCY - The Regional Secretary of West Java Province (Sekda Jabar), Herman Suryatman, led the Commemoration Ceremony for the 106th Anniversary of the West Java Provincial Fire and Rescue Service, which was held at the Paamprokan Square, Pangandaran Regency, Friday (25/4/2024).

In his speech, Herman emphasized that this commemoration is not just an annual ceremony, but must be an important momentum to build a fighting mentality for all firefighters and rescue workers.

"This ceremony is not just a formality, but it must be a meaningful moment that makes our hearts beat to give the best for the people of West Java," said the West Java Regional Secretary.

Herman also mentioned the age of Damkar which has reached more than a century, making it one of the oldest institutions in Indonesia. According to him, the maturity of this institution must be reflected in the quality of service to the community.

"The most important thing is action, our hearts must be present (when on duty), that is the mental model of a fighter, which will lead West Java to become Special," he said.

He added that currently many people have high hopes for firefighters, even in matters outside of fire. That trust, Herman said, must be maintained through increased professionalism and excellent service.

"Many people have expectations from the Fire Department, even beyond fire matters themselves," he said.

The theme of the 2025 Fire Department Anniversary is "Preventing Fires and Maintaining Development". Responding to the theme, Herman emphasized that the role of firefighters and rescue is a vital part of supporting sustainable development.

"We agree that the entire fire and rescue family must improve discipline, maintain loyalty, and uphold honor—solely for the sake of the nation and state, and especially for the special West Java," he said.

Herman also emphasized that firefighting and rescue tasks are part of the main functions of government, namely development, empowerment, and public services.

"Development must proceed, empowerment must proceed, and public services must be implemented as well as possible," concluded Herman.