Global warming continues to cause complex disasters worldwide. New Taipei City has taken preemptive measures and has held the New Taipei City Disaster Management Conference for 13 consecutive years since 2009. This year's conference was held on December 13 and invited Japanese and Singaporean Fire Department commissioners and staff.
 
In 2019, New Taipei City issued the first Voluntary Local Review (VLR) in Taiwan for sustainable development goals (SDGs). In 2021, the city issued the second VLR, which included sustainable policies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic and hundreds of cases in which New Taipei City implemented SDGs. To demonstrate the importance of disaster prevention and protection, New Taipei City introduced mainstream policies such the establishment of the Emergency Data Platform (EDP), Disaster Medical Assistance Team, and Swift Search and Rescue Team and SDGs such as SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), SDG 13 (climate action), and SDG 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions).
 
The theme of the 2022 New Taipei City Disaster Management Conference was natural disaster prevention and protection. The conference invited Japanese and Singaporean Fire Department commissioners and staff who have been training and holding drills with New Taipei City for years. Tokyo Fire Chief Hirofumi Shimizu shared strategies of the Tokyo Fire Department to promote safety, and Counselor Toshiyuki Kugai shared countermeasures taken by the Department before and after earthquakes. Additionally, Commander Shunxing Zhang of the Singapore Civil Defence Force shared recent disaster prevention strategies.
 
Tokyo Fire Chief Hirofumi Shimizu expressed gratitude for the delegation's invitation to Taipei. Such international exchanges during the COVID-19 pandemic have been rare, and the New Taipei City Fire Department and Taiwan's firefighting system have maintained excellent communication with the Tokyo Fire Department. Both parties will continue to exchange and improve disaster prevention and rescue capabilities to protect residents.


 
New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Chwen-Jing Chen addressed the conference on behalf of the city, and Fire Department Commissioner De-Ching Huang and Water Resources Department Director Te-Jen Sung shared the achievements and experiences of using smart technology for firefighting and water resources. Examples included the EDP, which won the World Innovation, Technology, and Services Alliance Smart City Award and the Indian Institute of Architects Award. Moreover, the EDP was recognized for its achievements in COVID-19 prevention and innovative methods for using big data in flood prevention.
 
Deputy Mayor Chwen-Jing Chen said that because New Taipei City faces increasingly complex environmental risks, the city will continue to implement the United Nations SDGs. In the spirit of international cooperation, New Taipei City will collaborate with other disaster prevention bodies abroad to develop an international and resilient city that is both safe and sustainable.
 
After Tokyo Fire Chief Hirofumi Shimizu arrived in Taiwan on December 12, New Taipei City arranged a delegation to visit the Special Search and Rescue Corps and the 119 Emergency and Rescue Command Center. The Special Search and Rescue Corps shared their experience in the National Accreditation Process and their role in international humanitarian aid. New Taipei City also presented search and rescue machinery and professional equipment of the corps' medical team. The 119 Emergency and Rescue Command Center introduced the first live broadcast of a fire scene in Taiwan and demonstrated the updated Relief Message 2.0 operating system, which allows citizens who have reported a case to immediately check its status.



Competent Authority: New Taipei City Fire Department × Tokyo Fire Department × Singapore Civil Defence Force