Since 2006, NCC, in line with the forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program and aim to meet local needs, has subsidized mobile communications operators to establish disaster prevention and relief communications platforms mainly for disaster response centers, evacuation shelters, and other necessary facilities for disaster prevention and rescue in remote areas, as well as other areas at risk of potential disaster. With view to maintaining the stability and reliability of the mobile communications network in the event of a power outage or disaster, as of the end of 2021, NCC had subsidized the construction of 110 fixed communications platforms, optimized 7 existing platforms and 47 mobile communications vehicles.
During the afternoon of March 24, 2022, a disaster prevention drill was conducted at the disaster prevention and relief mobile communications platform in the Changqiao section of Fenglin Township, Hualien County; in all, five mobile communications operators participated. NCC Vice-Chairperson Po-Tsung Wong, Commissioners Wei-Chung Teng and Chi-Hung Hsiao personally supervised the event, and a number of invited experts and scholars in the field of mobile communications also participated to evaluate its results.
The drill consisted of six parts, including regular maintenance and inspection of the platform, management mechanism for maintenance personnel and online security, and the alarm and rescue if a platform catches fire; a simulation of a powerful typhoon, causing bridges, roads and transmissions to be interrupted, and Wanrong Township to become an isolated island without sufficient communications, was held. In the last instance, drones were equipped with microwave equipment to establish temporary transmission relays so as to restore platform operation, and cooperate with the disaster relief unit to make the best use of the 72-hour golden rescue period, extend communications coverage around the disaster area, and provide on-site communications services for search and rescue. After the typhoon passed, a cross-river makeshift road was built, and then mobile communications vehicles entered the disaster area to provide stronger communications signals.
Since participants of the drill had been given valuable practical experience to enable more effective operations for disaster relief and recovery through routine exercises simulating different scenarios, the drill was undertaken in a very realistic and smooth way. The relevant results were well received by the experts and scholars participating in the event.
NCC expressed gratitude to Far EasTone Telecommunications Co., Ltd, as well as the other four mobile communications operators – all of which invested a great deal of manpower and material resources for the drill. Based on the principle of "more preparation and less hazards", NCC believes that mobile communications operators can more effectively ascertain the necessary steps and action for disaster prevention and relief through such active training. Doing so, can help achieve the policy objective for ensuring uninterrupted communications services, even in the case of roads and bridges collapsing.
Caption 1: Vice-Chairperson Po-Tsung Wong gives a speech during the drill
Caption 2: Platform maintenance inspection
Caption 3: Firefighters deal with a simulated fire on a communications platform
Caption 4: Drones arrive on site to provide communications
Caption 5: Some exhibited drones
Caption 6: Group photo following the drill
Caption 7: Commissioners Teng, Wei-Chung gives a speech after the drill