Taipei City Fire Department Disaster Prevention Science Education Center Introduction
In light of the 7.2 magnitude Hanshin earthquake that struck Japan on January 17, 1995, resulting in 6,430 deaths, over 40,000 injuries, and the destruction of more than 510,000 buildings (including public facilities) with an estimated total loss of around 10 trillion yen, this disaster stands as Japan's second-largest natural calamity following the Ise Bay Typhoon post-war. Accordingly, on July 10 of the same year (84th year), the Taipei City Fire Department was restructured to enhance disaster prevention education for citizens, allowing them to experience disasters and understand the importance of disaster preparedness. This initiative led to the planning and establishment of Taiwan's first Disaster Prevention Science Education Center. To help citizens understand the history and characteristics of various disasters, the Taipei City Fire Department's Disaster Prevention Science Education incorporates computers, electronics, and machinery to simulate different disaster scenarios, offering hands-on experiences. This allows emergency response knowledge, such as fire prevention, flood control, earthquake readiness, and typhoon sheltering, to naturally blend into daily life. The program aims to improve citizens' disaster response capabilities in an engaging manner, with hopes that participants will share the disaster prevention knowledge and skills gained with family and friends, thus helping everyone stay safe from potential disaster threats.
