Fri, Sep 27, 2024 page2

• Kuma Academy eyes defense training at community level

  • By Fang Wei-li, Hollie Younger and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writers
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  The Kuma Academy yesterday said it seeks to provide training in each of the nation’s 8,000 boroughs and villages to enhance civilian defense, adding to the estimated 400,000 people who can already be deployed in the event of an emergency.

  At the first meeting of the Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee yesterday, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) provided a blueprint for future civilian defense training.

  He said there are an estimated 400,000 people nationwide — including active and former reserve military service members, volunteers at police stations and fire departments, and those from private disaster relief and charity groups — who could be brought together for civil protection training and exercises.

  

  Trainees simulate an emergency medical response during a drill organized by the Kuma Academy on Saturday in Taipei.

  Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times

  Kuma Academy chairperson Liu Wen (劉文), a committee member who is in charge of one of the nation’s largest civilian defense training organizations, said after the meeting that the academy has already trained 40,000 civilians in the basic knowledge and skills needed for disaster prevention and rescue.

  Liu said she hopes that in the future, the academy could establish units in 8,000 villages and communities across the nation to develop civilian capabilities in accordance with the government’s plans.

  Buddhist Tzu Chi Charity Foundation head of public communications Lin Hon-chan (林弘展) said the group has 100,000 trained instructors, with peacekeeping teams in each of their communities, whose main responsibility is to increase community awareness and support in times of disaster.

  The foundation, an international humanitarian organization focused on medical aid and disaster relief, is already a statutory member of the Central Emergency Operation Center, but is not capable of directly partaking in disaster prevention, he added.

  Taiwan Development Association for Disaster honorary chairperson Avon Hsiao (蕭雅文) said the association could provide a platform for the committee to coordinate civilian strength and official bodies in establishing disaster relief mechanisms.

  The association would continue to provide specialist medical care and support public health organizations, Hsiao said.

  Outside of these organizations, nearly 280,000 alternative and reserve military personnel are to serve as the main source of civilian defense, the Ministry of the Interior said.

  Alternative military service comprises three stages, including basic training and beginner-level emergency medical technician training for protecting oneself and others, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said.

  There are currently more than 279,000 reserve military personnel on public safety and disaster prevention and rescue teams, Liu said.

  Once alternative soldiers complete their service, they are required to attend further training one day per year, she said.

  Discussions are under way to increase this to three days, which is to further increase to five days next year, Liu said.

  Reserve and alternative military training is to also utilize specialized and technologically advanced methods, she added.

  To meet increased demand, reserve and alternative military personnel are to continue with emergency medical training and public safety programs, firing practice and public safety drills, officials said.

  Training is to be longer and more members are to be recruited, with next year to see the introduction of disaster prevention training to increase disaster response ability on the individual and societal levels, they added.

  Additional reporting by Chen Cheng-yu and Wu Che-yu
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