The nation’s first disaster-prevention communications system, installed at Sanmin Fire Department in Kaohsiung County’s Namasiya Township (那瑪夏), began operations yesterday.
Namasia was one of the areas in the county devastated by Typhoon Morakot in August last year. Liu Feng-chang (劉豐章), deputy director of the National Communications Commission’s (NCC) Southern Service Division, said the government began rebuilding the disaster-struck areas in September last year.
“Because the residents in these areas had no electricity supply, they could not watch television or know what was going on in the outside world. Nor could the government accomplish much because it had problems getting a hold of the residents there,” Liu said. “Part of the reconstruction plan was to build a communication backup system that can keep communication going when the roads are closed or the fixed network service is damaged.”
Liu said the system includes an optical, microwave and satellite network. The estimated cost was NT$14.5 million (US$453,125), with the Council of Indigenous People (CIP) contributing NT$4 million to the construction of the satellite network. The rest of the cost was shared by the nation’s six telecom carriers.
The project ended up costing only NT$10.44 million, he said.
Meanwhile, Liu said the fire department is also equipped with an 80 kilowatt power generator and a diesel tank to power the communications system, which allows it to operate non-stop for between 10 days and two weeks.
Aside from the power generator, a solar energy panel is installed at Hebiaohushan (河表湖山) as a backup power source, which can enable the system to run for another seven days.
In an inauguration ceremony, NCC chairperson Bonnie Peng (彭芸) said the same system would soon be installed in Kaohsiung’s Maolin (茂林), Liouguei (六龜) and Taoyuan (桃源) townships, which were also severely affected by Typhoon Morakot, adding that the installations are expected to be completed in October.
CIP minister Sun Ta-chuan (孫大川) recalled how he was unable to contact his friends in Namasia and Wutai (霧台) when he was conducting research in those areas.
“The nation’s Aborigines live in environments sensitive to drastic climate changes,” he said. “I worry whenever there is heavy rain but feel relieved when a call to a township chief gets through.”
While recognizing the value of the disaster-prevention communication system, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said in his address that the most important thing is awareness of disaster prevention, regardless of how advanced the communication system is.
“When a disaster happens, township chiefs have to know the whereabouts of their residents and every resident has to know where to go to take refuge,” Ma said. “They need to evacuate whenever it is deemed necessary for them to do so.”
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