VP Hsiao inspects Kaohsiung urban resilience drill

Taipei, Aug. 7 (CNA) Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) inspected an urban resilience drill in Kaohsiung Friday, saying the exercise was designed to test Taiwan's ability to maintain essential operations and coordinate resources during high-pressure situations.

According to a Presidential Office news release, Hsiao visited the joint response command center at the Kaohsiung Fire Bureau, where she was briefed on the drill.

The vice president said urban resilience drills and the Han Kuang military exercises had previously been conducted separately but were combined this year for the first time to assess coordination between the military, government and civilian sectors.

She said the exercise was intended not only to test response procedures but also to ensure decisions could be made quickly and resources coordinated effectively when cities face major emergencies, helping protect lives and maintain social order.

Hsiao said the drill focused on whether command systems could continue operating under pressure, including coordination between the military and civilian sectors during emergencies.

She added that true resilience also depends on the ability of communities, volunteers and other private-sector resources to quickly mobilize and provide support when needed.

Another key objective was to ensure the medical system could continue operating while coping with challenges such as mass casualties, resource allocation and the possible relocation of facilities, allowing it to continue providing essential care during a crisis, the vice president said.

After visiting the fire bureau, Hsiao went to the Cianjhen District Office to learn about its role as a disaster prevention coordination center.

She then headed to Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, where she observed live medical drills, including simulated casualty treatment.

The hospital said the exercise simulated realistic emergency scenarios, including activation of its Hospital Incident Command System (HICS) and medical evacuation procedures.

The drill included five simulated scenarios designed to reflect wartime conditions while prioritizing patient safety, including one involving reducing patient loads, it said.

Hospital Superintendent Chen Chin-shun (陳金順) expressed confidence that Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, the district's only public medical center, could respond quickly in the event of a real crisis.

Elsewhere, Tainan and Pingtung County also held urban resilience exercises, including simulations of civilian evacuations to air raid shelters and other emergency response drills.

The annual urban resilience exercises will continue in central Taiwan, including Taichung and Changhua, on Aug. 10, before moving to northern Taiwan on Aug. 13.