Taiwan to hold town resilience air defense drill with multilingual outreach

Taiwan is set to conduct the 2026 Town Resilience Air Defense Exercise on August 10, with simultaneous drills planned in Chiayi City and other central Taiwanese counties. The exercise aims to enhance preparedness for potential air defense scenarios.

The drill will feature a 30-minute segment from 2:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., simulating critical emergency responses. These include the transmission and issuance of air raid warnings, evacuation procedures, traffic and other necessary controls, and communication network disruptions. The objective is to test and improve the effectiveness of civil defense systems.

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Taiwan is a diverse society. To ensure that citizens, new residents, and foreign nationals clearly understand the information about the town resilience air defense exercise, we have produced promotional videos in seven languages: Chinese, English, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Filipino. We hope that through explanations in their native languages, foreign nationals can gain a deeper understanding of the exercise's key points and ensure the safety of all personnel and property within our jurisdiction.

To ensure all residents, including the diverse foreign national population, are informed, the Chiayi City Police Department has produced promotional videos in seven languages. These short films, disseminated through social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, cover Mandarin Chinese, English, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Filipino. Police Chief Chen Ming-chih emphasized the importance of clear communication in a multicultural society, aiming to ensure the safety of all individuals within the jurisdiction.

During the exercise, citizens are urged to follow the instructions of police and civil defense personnel. In the event of an air raid siren, the primary directive is to seek immediate shelter in designated air defense facilities. If no such facilities are nearby, individuals should find a sturdy area away from windows, adhering to the "two-wall principle" for protection. Failure to comply with the exercise orders and controls may result in a fine ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000, as stipulated by the Civil Defense Act.

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When hearing the air raid siren, the first priority should be to enter the nearest air defense evacuation facility. If there are no air defense evacuation facilities nearby, seek refuge in a sturdy area away from windows, following the 'two-wall principle' for shelter.