->Exchanges between Taiwan and Japan’s Special Search and Rescue Teams enhance Taiwan’s earthquake rescue capacity

On 2024/06/18, the National Fire Agency (NFA) held the “2024 Taiwan-Japan Earthquake Search and Rescue Practice Seminar". Special thanks to three disaster prevention experts from Japan for coming to Taiwan to share with us Japan’s response measures, issues, and information during the Noto Peninsula earthquake in the beginning of 2024, including how Japan quickly dispatched emergency rescue teams from various local governments for disaster relief, utilized various destruction machines and equipment, assisted with search and rescue canines, implemented logistical supply, among other mechanisms, to effectively reduce disaster risks. Moreover, the NFA’s Special Search & Rescue Team also shared 0403 Hualien Earthquake disaster relief experience to promote cooperation, exchange, and experience sharing between Taiwan and Japan in the field of disaster relief.

As per the NFA, Taiwan is located in the circum-Pacific seismic belt, where earthquakes occur frequently. The 921 Earthquake in 1999 in Taiwan caused heavy casualties and property losses, which led to the promulgation of the Disaster Prevention and Protection (DPP) Act, the construction of the world's third largest fire training center, the building of emergency information communications and all-weather response mechanisms, and the formation of our special search and rescue teams. This year on 2024/04/03, an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred in Hualien also reminded the Taiwanese people that disasters can happen at any time, and that the improvement on the response to disaster prevention and protection admits of no delay. After experiencing the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, the 311 Earthquake in 2011, and the Noto Earthquake in January 2-24, Japan has made giant leap of improvements on its response and search and rescue mobilization capabilities in the field of disaster prevention and protection. Whenever a major disaster strikes, fire agencies/ departments are the first-line disaster response units, responsible for various disaster relief and rescue work. When the 0403 Hualien Earthquake struck in Taiwan on 2024/04/03, the NFA and the special search and rescue teams of relevant county and city governments immediately rushed to the disaster area to conduct rescue; set up low-orbit satellites to overcome the denied network communications in the disaster area; used drones to collect images, among other methods and approaches, so as to complete the mission as quickly as possible. This 0403-disaster allowed everyone to realize the importance of coordination of search operations during the earthquake disaster, where a good inter-agency coordination can allow the protection of the safety of people's lives and properties.

As per the NFA, the invitation extended to the Japanese disaster prevention experts to visit Taiwan this time not only gave us an opportunity to learn the Japanese central government's response to the Noto Earthquake and the practical experience and mechanism of the Japanese special search and rescue team. Through cooperation and experience sharing between Taiwan and Japan in the field of disaster prevention and protection, it is of great benefit to Taiwan to improve its resilience in response to large-scale earthquake disasters.