Local medical centers offered the fastest, most effective response following the 921 earthquake, but the central government was faulted for its poor planning, according to disaster response specialists at an international seminar in Taipei yesterday.
The meeting, held by the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Health Research Institutes, was part of an attempt to solicit international opinions on Taiwan's disaster response.
"Natural disasters happen so rarely here that we don't really get a chance to practice our response strategies and get better at them," said Department of Health Director-General Chan Chi-shean
"So we decided that cooperating with experts in other countries would benefit everyone. We can learn from each others' experiences," Chan said.
At the conference, disaster response specialists from Taiwan, the US, France and Japan discussed disaster management systems around the world, comparing the 921 earthquake with large-scale medical emergencies such as the Kosovo War, the Kobe earthquake in 1995 and Hurricane Mitch which devastated large areas of Central America in 1998.
Discussions of the US model of an independent disaster response organization -- under the direct command of the president -- dominated yesterday's forum.
The advocates of this system argued that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) establishes a clear chain of command that Taiwan lacks.
"I envy the US system. We are still a long way from that kind of quality ... We had huge problems with vertical and horizontal cooperation during our quake relief efforts," said Yang Chih-liang
Taiwan's disaster response is currently coordinated by the National Fire Administration under the Ministry of the Interior.
The DOH, the Ministry of National Defense and other government agencies cooperated under the fire administration's auspices during the quake.
Following the quake, however, President Lee Teng-hui
"We're a small country, so the National Fire Administration should be able to handle our emergency response," he said at the time.
Critics responded that Taiwan's fire administration lacks specialized knowledge and doesn't have a comprehensive plan to put into motion when disaster strikes.
Doctors and public health officials complained that a lack of experience in dealing with disasters was the biggest obstacle to effective response.
"Hopefully, we'll be more prepared next time it happens," said National Taiwan University Hospital director Li Yuan-te (
Practice can help enormously, said Daniel Smiley, deputy director for the state of California's Emergency Medical Services Authority.
"Drills can prepare you for knowing the flow of patient treatment ... They can't help you deal with unstable buildings, bad weather, interrupted traffic and overwhelmed hospitals," Smiley said.
Strong basic services such as well-trained paramedics, properly-equipped ambulances and other day-to-day emergency medical services -- and a well-rehearsed plan -- can help prepare for the unexpected, he said.
Taiwan is on the right track by considering a centralized plan and improving basic services, Smiley said.
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