At a meeting of the Central Disaster Prevention and Response Council (CDPRC) today, Premier Jiang Yi-huah commended emergency response agencies and personnel for their hard work this year.
The premier said the Central Emergency Operation Center (CEOC) was activated for every natural disaster, including the May rainstorms, the June earthquake, as well as typhoons Soulik, Cimaron, Trami and Kong-Rey, and while each event resulted in numerous injuries, the fatalities were kept to a minimal. He also thanked frontline crews for the speed with which vital services, roadways and utilities were restored. He added that the CDPRC and the CEOC will be on standby around the clock to respond to any situation because natural disasters can strike Taiwan at any time.
The Executive Yuan's Office of Disaster Management reported on plans for a "national disaster preparedness day" to raise public awareness of disaster mitigation and to examine the nation's response mechanisms and crisis management capabilities. Premier Jiang asked the Ministry of the Interior (MOI), Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Transportation and Communications to carry out the measures outlined in the plan and instructed the office to oversee progress.
The MOI also delivered a report on emergency communication equipment systems. Premier Jiang said the systems must be kept in top form as they serve as the government's eyes and ears during crisis situations. He asked the MOI to continue strengthening the systems' functions and to be mindful of quality when procuring new equipment. Systems should not be allowed to sit idle and agencies should not overlook maintenance or operation problems.
The Executive Yuan Office of Science and Technology reported on the government's cooperation with Google Inc. to share natural disaster information on an open data platform. Premier Jiang said the platform represents a useful public service as it provides citizens with reliable and accessible information on typhoons and floods. Its scope will be expanded later on to include real-time information on earthquakes, train or high-speed rail suspensions, reservoir discharges, and work and class cancellations.