In order to prevent potential debris flow disasters caused by heavy rains when a typhoon sweeps Taiwan , Soil and Water Conservation Bureau under the Council of Agriculture (COA) subsidized the Nantou County Government to conduct the 2011 Demonstrative Evacuation Exercise to Prevent Typhoon Flooding and Debris Flow Disasters at 13:30 on March 10. The exercise mobilized more than 1,200 soldiers, policemen, firefighters, personnel from Taiwan Power Company, life sustaining systems and good-neighborliness rescue teams, debris flow prevention volunteers, local residents and used helicopters to drill hanging rescue of personnel and goods, airdrop supplies and other items, with the whole 120-minute process being very compact and almost real. The exercise was personally reviewed by COA Vice

Minister Wang Cheng-teng and Minister without Portfolio Chang Jin-fu gave a flag to debris flow disaster prevention volunteers.

Vertical and Horizontal Contacts Most Important in Disaster Prevention and Rescue

Vice Minister Wang said that the process of this exercise was almost real and smooth and the skilled movements of participating units fully demonstrated careful drills in peacetime and efficiency of disaster prevention, making the exercise a very successful one. He noted that vertical and horizontal contacts are most important for disaster prevention and rescue because they will enable various disaster prevention resources to have a synergistic effect. The exercise mobilized the central and local government agencies, civic groups and tribal people to jointly drill disaster prevention and rescue skills and Vice Minister Wang believed that when facing the impact of a major disaster they certainly can immediately play the function of emergency response and rapidly activate response mechanism to smoothly accomplish relevant disaster prevention missions and jointly minimize the disaster.

Strengthening Disaster Prevention Exercise and Propaganda to Enhance Residents’ Independent Disaster Prevention Capability

Debris flow disaster prevention and response measures are multi-dimensional, Wang stressed that in addition to requiring the development of control and prevention methods together with scholars and experts, the participation of local residents is necessary. Debris flow disaster prevention volunteers trained by Soil and Water Conservation Bureau of the Council are an important part of promoting community independent disaster prevention. Besides helping inform local community of debris flow early warning information, the volunteers also serve as first line vanguards of debris flow disaster prevention and home protection. Vice Minister Wang also reminded local governments to really make various disaster prevention preparations during the flood control period, strengthen disaster prevention drills and propaganda, and enhance people’s independent disaster prevention capability as the typhoon season approaches. (2011-03-10 )