Taipei City Fire Department Disaster Prevention Science Education Center Introduction
In light of the Great Hanshin Earthquake that struck Japan on January 17, 1995, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, which resulted in 6,430 deaths, over 40,000 injuries, and the complete or partial collapse of more than 510,000 buildings, with losses including public facilities amounting to approximately 10 trillion yen, this disaster was the second-largest natural disaster in Japan post-World War II, second only to Typhoon Ise Bay. As a result, on July 10 of the same year (the 84th year), the Taipei City Government Fire Department was restructured to enhance disaster prevention education for citizens and to allow them to experience disasters first-hand, thereby understanding the importance of disaster prevention. They began planning to establish Taiwan's first Disaster Prevention Science Education Center. To help citizens understand the history and characteristics of various disasters, the Taipei City Government Fire Department's Disaster Prevention Science Education utilizes computers, electronics, and mechanical equipment to simulate various disaster scenarios, allowing citizens to engage in hands-on experiences. This helps integrate knowledge of fire prevention, flood prevention, earthquake preparedness, and typhoon response into daily life in an enjoyable educational manner, thereby enhancing citizens' disaster response capabilities. It is hoped that after visiting and experiencing the center, participants will share the disaster prevention knowledge and skills they have gained with friends and family, so that everyone can be insulated from disasters and move away from the threats posed by them.
