Taipei: The 2026 edition of Taiwan's urban resilience drills commenced in Changhua County on Wednesday, with the participation of 192 alternative service personnel as reported by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI).
According to Focus Taiwan, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang announced in a press statement that the group of 192 servicemen included both active and on-reserve members, who were integrated for the purpose of the drills. These servicemen were stationed across 23 drill sites within the county to partake in various activities such as air raid alerts, public evacuation maneuvers, and disaster relief drills.
The alternative service members gained practical experience in operating disaster response collaboration centers, first aid stations, and resource distribution stations. They also participated in evacuation and emergency response exercises. The MOI elaborated that these servicemen were tasked with responsibilities like receiving individuals seeking refuge or assistance, as well as managing manpower allocation and information collection.
The ministry highlighted that all participating alternative service personnel were trained and certified in first aid and emergency response during boot camp, possessing EMT-1 certification along with other certifications for disaster prevention and volunteer service roles.
The MOI further disclosed that additional urban resilience drills are planned in 10 other municipalities throughout Taiwan this year, with more than 1,500 alternative servicemen expected to take part in these exercises.
Source: Focus Taiwan