TAIPEI, June 6 (Eric R Stone) – Zhongzheng authorities shook things up with this year’s emergency evacuation drill, simulating a man-made event instead of a natural disaster and inviting two disability groups.

District supervisor Hsu Chunchi said that he hoped to better educate the public in disaster response procedures so that they could respond more quickly and effectively, and more lives and property could be saved.

An estimated 120 personnel participated, including police, school, and fire officials; Zhongzheng Armed Forces Reserve Counseling Center personnel; the neighborhood disaster response team; disaster relief volunteers; and cleaning staff.

The drill was held yesterday at 10 am, and simulated an interior explosion at the Leeco Outlet in the Fushui neighborhood of the Zhongzheng district of Taipei.

This is in contrast to the drills of previous years, which simulated natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods.

The scenario involved a spreading fire and trapped personnel, and was chosen in response to the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi department store gas explosion that occurred in Taichung in February.

The program included: everyday disaster response education; rescue and evacuation drills; establishing an on-site command post; a fire extinguisher operation demonstration; cross-neighborhood support drills; drawing up alert areas; medical assistance drills; and a simulated evacuation to a disaster relief shelter.

In a move to extend self-evacuation education to more residents, the Parents’ Association of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (Taipei) and the Zhongzheng-Wanhua Disabled Persons Resource Center were also invited to participate.