Vice Premier Mao Chi-kuo today presided over a meeting of the Central Disaster Prevention and Response Commission and received briefings from various government agencies on disaster preparedness. The National Communications Commission (NCC) reported on a text messaging service for disaster-prone areas and plans for a cell broadcasting service; the Council of Agriculture reported on warning and response measures to different levels of forest fire; and the Executive Yuan's Office of Disaster Management on disaster prevention and relief operations in 2013.
As the Taiwan area is vulnerable to typhoons, floods and earthquakes, the president has demanded that government agencies conduct routine disaster and rescue drills prior to each year's flood season. Since 2010, the administration has mobilized resources and conducted drills at 22 city and county governments nationwide, effectively improving their relief mechanisms and disaster-prevention readiness while forging a national consensus on the importance of disaster prevention.
This year's drills are scheduled to begin on February 26 and should be completed at all cities and counties by the end of May. Aside from funding local governments to carry out the exercises, central disaster agencies will combine these disaster drills with the annual Wan-an military drills in order to improve coordination among central and local levels.
This year's disaster drills will focus on integrating cross-regional resources and implementing evacuation and shelter measures. New Taipei City and Changhua and Pingtung counties will spearhead drills in their respective regions while the other 19 local governments will concentrate on evacuation and sheltering, with attention to specific issues that affect each region.
To ensure the drills meet their objectives, 11 Cabinet-level agencies including the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Council of Agriculture will take part in the exercises and send field experts to evaluate procedures.
The first drill, to be held by Yilan County on February 26, will be combined with the Wan-an military drills. It will simulate emergency operations for hillside collapses and landslides induced by earthquakes. The operations will consolidate multiple resources including personnel mobilization, disaster mitigation mechanisms, as well as military assistance.
Over the years, the national disaster drills have visibly strengthened local governments' capabilities to cope with emergencies, Mao said. Given changes in the global climate, natural disasters will only become more threatening. Hence, the government has adopted a prevention-focused strategy in disaster management. Emergency operations have also followed President Ma Ying-jeou's principles of preparing for the worst, positioning people and resources well in advance, and being ready to help at any time.
The vice premier said as the nationwide drills kick off, he hoped citizens will collaborate with the government in bolstering disaster reduction and relief efforts.