- Department:Hazard Control Division
The MOENV and the Taipei City Government held the 2026 Toxic and Concerned Chemical Substances Disaster Prevention and Response Exercise on August 17 and 21. Minister without Portfolio Ji Lian-cheng of the Executive Yuan served as Chief Supervisor, Deputy Minister Yeh Chun-hung of the MOENV oversaw the exercise as the Central Disaster Response Commander, and Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an personally led the city government team in the exercise. The scenario simulated a strong earthquake triggering a chloroform leak in a laboratory, resulting in a compound disaster involving toxic chemical hazards and air pollution. Both command post and field exercises were conducted to examine the cross-agency response capabilities of central and local authorities.
The tabletop exercise (TTX) on August 17 was centered on the concept that "disasters don't follow a script." Following Taipei City's Disaster Exercise Evaluation and Planning guidelines (T-DEEP), it adopted a "scenario-based, unscripted, and real-time" approach. Through scenario progression and real-time follow-up questioning, the exercise examined situational awareness, response prioritization, and central government support, while strengthening hazard identification and protective decision-making for toxic chemical disasters, and identifying potential vulnerabilities in institutional design and practical operations.
The full-scale field exercise on August 21 followed the "Five Reals" principle (real personnel, real locations, real equipment, real scenes, and real operations), translating the response strategies and tactical directions formulated during the tabletop exercise into on-site practical applications. It checked procedures such as toxic substance detection, hazard control, delineation of the restricted zone, contamination response, and decontamination. It also reviewed the safety protection of the incident command post, on-site personnel task assignments, and cross-agency coordination, verifying whether response issues identified during the exercise could be translated into concrete, executable response actions.
During the exercise, Minister without Portfolio Ji Lian-cheng specifically emphasized that command safety, real-time information, and division of response tasks at a compound disaster site are essential foundations for the effective operation of the command system. The incident command post should be strategically positioned with safety as the overriding prerequisite, with hazard and evacuation boundaries clearly delineated. On-site detection data should be transmitted to the disaster response center in real time, supporting decision-making through scientific analysis systems such as ALOHA. On-site personnel groups with clearly defined tasks, ensuring effective coordination among scientific information, on-site command, and public protection.
The MOENV stated that, in the face of compound disasters such as earthquakes combined with toxic chemical incidents, central and local governments must be able to make correct decisions with limited information and resources. The value of the exercise lies in identifying problems early and addressing vulnerabilities in advance. Going forward, the Ministry will continue to deepen the joint central-local response mechanism, strengthen professional capacity and resource integration, and enhance overall disaster prevention and response resilience, so that when a real disaster occurs, response systems at every level can protect the lives of the public and environmental quality with greater speed, precision, and effectiveness.
