- Department:Hazard Control Division
On May 21 of 2019, Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) and Yilan County Government held “2019 National Toxic and Chemical Substance and Yilan County Disaster Prevention and Response Drill” in Longde Industrial Park of Ministry of Economic Affairs. Executive Yuan has specially dispatched Deputy Minister of EPA Shen Chih-Hsiu to join the drill with a professional team to provide counselling therefor. In total, 38 vehicles and 180 people from 31 units of central and local governments have participated in the joint drill. When delivering their speech, Deputy Minister Shen and Mayor of Yilan County Lin Zi-Miao have both encouraged governments at all levels to establish a sound disaster prevention and response system; to integrate and develop disaster risk reduction capacity of the government and private sector; and to implement disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness works in order to minimize casualties and damages of disaster aftermath.
Located at a compressive tectonic boundary between the Eurasian Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate, Taiwan suffers from rather frequent earthquakes. The February 2 (2016) and April 18 (2019) earthquakes that rattled Tainan and Hualien respectively have both caused casualties and damages. To enhance the country’s disaster risk reduction capability, this joint disaster prevention and response drill themed on chemical disaster was therefore organized. The drill scenario was carried out as follows: When carrying out the unloading work, a tank truck loaded with toxic carbon disulfide was struck by an earthquake-induced collapsed building. The chemical leakage thereof then caused fire and explosion. The objective of this scenario was to enhance the real-time disaster response mechanisms and coordination capability of not only sites involved in the operations of toxic and chemical substance, but also relevant disaster response units, such as joint toxic chemical disaster prevention organization, joint defense organization of industrial zone, governments at all levels and armed forces, helping them to maximize their collaboration efficiency and practice relevant disaster response skills. Following the pattern of “technical grading, professional labor of division and joint response actions”, abovementioned response units have adopted all necessary protection, settlement, response, clean up and aftercare measures when performing rescue, first-aid and evacuation works in the simulation of chemical and fire disasters. The objective thereof is to enhance their effectiveness in controlling the accident and minimize damages of disaster aftermath.
To reinforce the joint response model and disaster response handling efficiency, 31 units including Ministry of Economic of Affairs, Ministry of Transportation and Communication, Ministry of National Defense, Environmental Protection Administration, Dongshan Township Office and other units under the Yilan County government, joint toxic chemical disaster prevention organization of Yilan County, joint defense organization of local industrial zone, Taiwan Water Corporation, Taiwan Power Company and Longde Factory of Formosa Chemicals and Fibre Corporation (FCFC) were invited to join this drill. In overall, 180 people and 38 vehicles have joined this realistic drill and performed all necessary procedures to show their professional disaster response capabilities and rescue skills.
EPA expressed that this kind of joint disaster prevention and response drills not only enabled citizens to enhance their awareness towards disasters and build their disaster response and prevention concepts; but also helped the government’s competent authority and response units to enhance their disaster response mechanisms joint response capability. EPA stressed that, by effectively using the rescue resources, manpower and equipment of governments at all levels, companies and private sector, the country will be able fortify its overall disaster response capability and protect people' lives, property and welfare.
