Taipei City Fire Department

Typhoon and flood

1. When a typhoon warning has been issued, you should follow the typhoon information updates and make necessary preventive work, such as securing advertisement signboards and flower pots on balcomies, or prepare sandbags.

2. Typhoons may result in water supply and electricity being cut off; please stock up on clean water, dried food, flashlight, and batteries; ensure that the emergency generator is in working condition; in time of power failure, lighted candles should be put away from combustible items, to avoid causing fire.

3. People living in low-lying areas should be prepared for evacuation. When a typhoon strikes, please follow the instructions of your village head, police, firefighters, and head for the temporary shelter.

4. Those who have a floodgate at home should install the floodgate in the correct manner before the typhoon strikes.

5. When a typhoon warning has been issued, mountain climbers should descend immediately and or take refuge at a safe place as soon as possible, and inform the family and friends by phone about your status.

6. During the typhoon season, refrain from going to the beach or riverside, and avoid outdoor activities such as tide watching, playing in the water, fishing, stream tracing, etc.

7. During typhoons, avoid going outdoors: if there is a need to, be careful of falling advertisement signboards and large scaffolding, as well as toppling street trees or utility poles.

8. When driving through a tunnel, pay special attention to the water level; do not forcefully pass through to prevent the car from stalling.

9. If you encounters strong wind and rain while driving, please reduce your speed or take refuge temporarily at a safe location and switch on your warning lights.

10. When the typhoon warning is cleared, heavy rain normally follows. Refrain from going out unnecessarily to check on your agricultural equipment or fish farm.

Tsunami

1.       After an earthquake, pay attention to tsunami warnings and listen to any related reports at all times.

2.       When a tsunami warning has been issued, all sea activities such as tide watching, diving, sea fishing, fish catching, etc., should be stopped immediately, and the public should leave any region as soon as possible that may be affected by the tsunami.

3.       When a tsunami warning has been issued, all vessels at sea should follow the guidance of the Coast Guard Administration or Fisheries Agency, the Council of Agriculture. Big vessels are to seek refuge in the open sea, while small vessels are to pull to shore and be tightly secured; the seamen are to evacuate the vessels.

4.       While evacuating from a tsunami, the public should first consider nearby tall and solid buildings, or if there are none, evacuate towards inner highland.

5.       While evacuating from a tsunami, the public should be familiar with the evacuation route and the predetermined evacuation shelter, as well as carry along the emergency evacuation bags.

6.       For short distance escape, try not to travel by vehicle as it will cause traffic congestion, and if the vehicles are trapped in the tsunami, it will be more difficult to escape.

7.       If there is not enough time to escape when a tsunami strikes, hold on tightly to nearby solid objects in a nearby high-rise area. If the body is immersed in water, try to prevent being hit and injured by big floating objects.

8.       When a tsunami strikes, evacuation should be the first priority. Do not worry about your valuables or fishing boats.

9.       When the first wave of a tsunami subsides, do not return home or check on your fishing boat at the port immediately, as there could be a second wave of tsunami.

Earthquake

1. Prepare an “emergency evacuation bag” during normal time and put it in an easily accessible place.

2. Remain calm during earthquakes, ensure your own safety and pay special attention to falling objects from above.

3. During violent shaking, hide under a stable table or beside the building’s main column.

4. Do not hide under lightings or by the side of a cupboard or refrigerator during earthquake.

5. Immediately turn off all ignition sources, and open the door to escape when the earthquake has stopped.

6. Do not take the elevator, but escape via the staircase.

7. Run to an open area immediately, and keep away from signboards, trees, buildings and utility poles.

8. If you encounter an earthquake while driving, do not brake suddenly or change lane, but reduce your speed and pull off by the side of the road.

9. If you encounter an earthquake in a public place, keep calm and listen to the broadcast for guidance. Do not panic or push one another.

10. If you are in a large stadium, auditorium or theatre, hide below your seat temporarily and leave the premises when the shaking stops.

11. After the earthquake, check the switch of the gas, water, electricity, etc. If there is any gas leak, gently open the windows, leave the building immediately and inform the gas company.

12. Listen to the television or radio at all times for accurate reports of the disaster, and do not listen to rumors.

Nuclear accident

1. When a nuclear accident occurs and there is leakage of radioactive material, the Government will issue a warning and based on the amount of radiation detected or predicted, as well as the distance from the scene of accident, inform the public in the affected areas. Those who receive the notice should immediately follow the Government’s instruction in taking precautionary measures such as “evacuation” or “indoor sheltering”.

2. When a nuclear accident occurs, the Government will immediately inform the public of the incident through village broadcasts and various forms of media broadcast. Please do not listen to rumors or spread unauthenticated information.

3. Upon receiving “indoor sheltering” instruction, do not go out if you are indoors, and close the doors and windows tightly to prevent outside air from seeping in. If you are outside, return home or go to a nearby concrete building. Students in schools should return to their classrooms immediately and close the doors and windows upon hearing the warning or broadcast, and follow the instructions of the teachers.

4. Upon returning home, promptly change your clothing and take a shower, and wash your clothes or put them into a plastic bag for temporary storage.

5. Upon receiving evacuation notice, you should follow the instructions and carry your emergency evacuation bag or prepare simple luggage, turn off the gas and electricity, bring along your personal IDs and immediately proceed to your designated assembly site. You will be brought to the evacuation shelter by special transport provided by the Government.

6. The school will make arrangements to bring the students to the evacuation shelter, and parents are advised not to fetch their children as it may cause traffic disorders.

7. If you have neighbors who are elderly, pregnant women, young children or people with mobility impairments, assist them during the evacuation and contact the village head or police if you require any assistance.

8. Avoid consuming food or beverages that have been exposed outside. Wash vegetables or fruits thoroughly before consuming them. Food and beverages kept indoors should be safe to consume.

Fire

1. In time of fire, you should keep calm, inform the surrounding people immediately and dial 119 to report. When reporting the case, you should provide the correct address of the fire, the floor and location of people, as well as if there are people trapped.

2. When entering a public place, take note of the evacuation routes first, and be sure of where the locations of the emergency exits in both directions are.

3. Do not leave a physically challenged person or children alone at home; in time of fire, assist them to escape as soon as possible.

4. Do not block the emergency exits or emergency escape stairs as it will impede escape.

5. If you encounter thick smoke while escaping, do not force your way through. Retreat to a relatively safer area, close the door, seal the door seam with clothing and wait for rescue.

6. During the escape, do not worry about your clothing or home belongings, but hurry to escape. The last person to leave the premises should close the main door to prevent the fire from spreading.

7. If fire occurs due to carelessness while using the gas stove, turn off the stove and the gas valve immediately and put out the fire by covering it with a pot lid or wet cloth.

8. In general, most fires can be extinguished with water except for fire caused by oil or chemicals. Use dry powder or a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher instead of water to put out the fire.

9. When using the fire extinguisher, you should stand upwind. First remove the pin, aim the nozzle towards the base of the fire and discharge the extinguishing agent. However, if the fire is too large to put out, you should escape immediately.