The National Fire Agency (NFA) held a press conference on typhoon preparedness on Tuesday to remind local governments to make the necessary preparations for typhoon season. They also showcased a number of disaster prevention and relief technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the Emergency Management Information Cloud (EMIC).
The UAV manufacturers demoed the disaster relief drone on site, emphasizing its thermal imaging camera and ability to detect movement and people in need of rescue. They elaborated that disaster relief personnel can use these drones to survey the disaster area, compare pre- and post-disaster landscapes, and perform on-site search and rescue. Images provided by the drone can assist in decision-making; their application can also reduce risks for firefighters.
Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) added that drones are effective in any disaster scenario at any time of day or night, and that the NFA has already trained more than 700 drone search and rescue personnel. In order to provide the public with fast and accurate disaster prevention and relief information, the NFA has also upgraded the Readiness TW e-APP, supported by EMIC, which is available in 16 languages.
Liu also encouraged members of the public to download the app on their mobile phone, and to participate in disaster prevention training provided by the NFA. As of May 2024, over 27,000 people have received this training; she said she hoped this number would reach 40,000 by 2025.