In its operations, SurveyMETER, an organization in the knowledge sector, aims to further scientific understanding. One of the objectives is to open up and build collaboration in this area with governmental and non-governmental organizations. The partnership with the government is based on the exchange, discussion, and quality control of data, particularly regarding the application of data to motivate, bolster, and inform policy decisions.

The Yogyakarta Volcano Research and Development Center (BPPTK) and SurveyMETER are working together to map the Mount Merapi catastrophe risk region as one example of how this project is being carried out. In the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java Province, four districts and one city were the sites of this study. The preparatory phase of this study was completed in June and July of 2012, and raw data from the survey results was then acquired.

The enormous impact of the 2010 Merapi eruption, which resulted in significant damage to the environment and societal infrastructure, serves as the foundation for the reasoning for this study. Each of these effects calls for careful consideration and ongoing policy-making work. Access to sufficient and precise data regarding what is named the Disaster Risk Map is one of these policy initiatives.

Mapping disaster locations by examining community knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions—particularly with regard to the Merapi disaster response—is one attempt to make this data available. Mapping disaster-prone areas is a long-term strategy for residential communities near disaster-prone places. This is crucial for attempts to inform all stakeholders—particularly the government—about dealing and controlling the hazards associated with disasters and developing policies for residential areas.

This background underlies SurveyMETER with BPPTK to map the disaster risk areas of Mount Merapi Yogyakarta through this study. SurveyMETER designed and developed instruments that asked household informants in the Sleman Regency, Boyolali Regency, Klaten Regency, Magelang Regency, and Yogyakarta City. The total number of sample informants was 3675 households in 735 hamlets and 166 villages/urban precincts.

The study aims to collect information from the community surrounding the disaster area regarding knowledge of the risk of lahar (KRB 1), hot clouds and lava (KRB 2), hot clouds (KRB 3), as well as public perceptions and attitudes, particularly related to disaster aspects. The information related to disaster risk areas will be obtained from the perspective of data availability in each village. [DA/JF]