To improve disaster prevention and rescue capabilities and to protect the safety of the public and their properties, when addressing needs for new types of disasters and rescue demands, the MOI actively reviews responsive capacities of existing mechanism to enhance responsive abilities towards disasters and reporting mechanism and continuously strengthens cloud platform functions of disaster prevention and rescue for expanded applications of disaster prevention and rescue information and for strengthening related abilities. Furthermore, cooperation and contacts between local and central governments will be continuously maintained to integrate power of different agencies to improve disaster control and rescue effectiveness. Air rescue support mechanism will be completely developed; Helicopters UH-60 “Black Hawk” have been actively equipped and various pilot training programs are strictly conducted to ensure flight and safety of pilots and to strengthen air rescue abilities.
Enhancing disaster responding effectiveness and effectively command and control in time
When there is a major disaster, the Central Emergency Operations Center shall coordinate with local emergency operations centers to promote various responsive measures. Director General of the National Fire Agency shall act as the Deputy Commander to integrate the energy of the central and local fire agencies to protect the safety of the public and their properties. If the type of major disaster is uncertain, in principle, the MOI needs to take charge of relevant counter measures and according to level of the disaster, an emergency operating task force or the Center shall be set up commanded by the Minister on the Interior in response for priority rescue works.
Cultivation of disaster prevention and rescue personnel and enhancement of disaster prevention and rescue capabilities
To strengthen operating capabilities for disaster prevention and rescue of townships (towns, cities and regions) offices, National Fire Agency of MOI between 2007 and 2017 promoted Phase 1 and 2 Cultivation of Disaster Prevention and Rescue Personnel Training Project to review mission assignments and operating mechanism of the said levels to build the respective responsive mechanism and to improve personnel knowledge of disaster handling. Equipment of each emergency operations center is well equipped to strengthen responsive capabilities of each level and to improve Taiwan’s disaster response energy.
Strengthening air rescue effectiveness for safety
In July, 2016, the Black Eagle Helicopters officially joined the National Airborne Service Corps of MOI for disaster relief. With the continuous training of the task force, 15 helicopters were received and old ones used over 30 years without meeting the expected ROI were replaced to simplify the model series. Meanwhile, transition training for helicopters were given and the repair and maintenance system was developed to improve maintainability and safety. Exceptional functions of the Black Eagle Helicopters including horse power, loading, time at pickup altitude with those of the Dolphin Helicopters improved the abilities to carry out air rescue and to realize the goal of “successful Operations with Safety First.”