1. All-out disaster prevention portal at https://bear.emic.gov.tw: it provides personalized disaster prevention warning and response information. In addition to interfacing with various disaster prevention and relief maps and disaster warning info, it is built with a dynamic real-time disaster inquiry function, allowing users for first-hand disaster information, disaster situation and government emergency response.
2. Firefighting and Disaster Prevention Museum at https://www.tfdp.com.tw: it provides disaster prevention knowledge (including rumor clarification), information on publicity activities and disaster prevention drills in various counties and cities, as well as disaster prevention posters, manuals and quick facts that can be downloaded and used to improve users' disaster prevention knowledge.

1. Before leaving home for safety, remember to turn the power mains off and shut the gas mains down to prevent fire hazards.
2. Go to a nearby school for sheltering if necessary.

1. Learn the “3 must-knows to keep you alive” in earthquakes. The 3 key points will keep you a lot safer in time of earthquake!
   • (1) First must-know: choose a new house compliant to seismic design code and seismically reinforce old ones. The 921 Earthquake caused total or partial damage to more than 100,000 buildings and more than 80% of the deceased were killed by collapsed buildings. Therefore, it is imperative to choose a building compliant to seismic design code. For an old building, it is necessary to have it checked and seismically reinforced if necessary.
   • (2) Second must-know: secure furniture and home appliances. When an earthquake strikes, people can get injured or even killed by falling furniture or home appliances due to violent shaking if not by collapsed buildings! Therefore, it is important to have them propped and secured (by, for example, locks, buckles, anti-slipping devices, holding devices and glass membranes).
   • (3) Third must-know: drop, cover and hold on. You may find it hard to stand straight under the violent shaking when a major earthquake strikes. It is easy to trip on something as you rush outdoors in such a circumstance and the chances to get hit by falling objects are increased as well. Therefore, it is important to “duck before evacuate.” Drop to the ground where you are, take cover and hold onto something. It is also important to look around your place and identify where you and your family can take cover around your place.
2. In addition, a few major earthquakes occurred at night in recent years. Power outage often follows earthquakes. It is recommended to install “emergency lighting” at every floor of your building to make evacuation at night much easier.

1. Subparagraph 2, Paragraph 1, Article 111 of the Regulations for Traffic Safety specifies that “temporary parking is prohibited within 10 meters from a road intersection or bus stop or 5 meters from a fire hydrant or fire truck access.” Subparagraph 3, Paragraph 1, Article 112 specifies that “parking is prohibited at the exits or entrances of airports, bus/railway stations, ferry terminals, schools, shopping malls, exhibition halls, arenas, markets or other places for public use, and in front of a fire hydrant.”
2. Also, Subparagraph 2, Paragraph 1, Article 55 of the Road Traffic Management and Paneity Act specifies that it is not allowed to stop at intersections, within the range of 10 meters near a bus stop, or within the range of 5 meters near the exits or entrances for fire trucks, and in the event of any of the followings to make a stop, car drivers shall be fined from NT$300 to NT$600. Subparagraph 3, Paragraph 1 of Article 56 also specifies that car drivers shall be fined from NT$600 to NT$1,200 for parking at the exits or entrances of airports, bus/railway stations, ferry terminals, schools, shopping malls, exhibition halls, arenas, markets or other places for public use, or in front of fire hydrants. The laws have specifically indicated that it is illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant no matter how long you park. Car drivers are advised against parking your cars at a place like this, or you will be given a ticket by a police officer. It is not worthy.

Article 98 of the Water Supply Act specifies: “Taking water from fire hydrant without the permission of water supply enterprise, except for the purpose of extinguishing fire”, is subject to the punishment of a sentence of imprisonment of no more than five years, detention, or a fine of no more than NT$ 500.

According to Article 4 of the Regulations for the Organization Procedure, Training Program, Drill and Service of the Voluntary Fire Fighters

1. Newly recruited volunteer firefighters (hereinafter referred to as new recruits) shall have the following qualifications:
   • (1) A citizen of the Republic of China or foreigners (including residents from China, Hong Kong or Macao) with valid resident permits, aged 18 and above.
   • (2) Resides in the local area and not taking part in any other volunteer or civil defense organizations.
   • (3) Has not been sentenced to imprisonment within the past 10 years for nationals of the Republic of China, or during their stay in the Republic of China for foreigners (including residents from China, Hong Kong, and Macao). However, R.O.C. nationals with records of criminal negligence or probationary declaration are not limited to this.
2. Consultants are not subject to the provisions of Subparagraph 2 in the preceding Paragraph.
3. Men who have retired from their position as a substitute fire fighting civilian serviceman are the first eligible for hire as volunteer firefighters.
4. Foreign new recruits (including residents from China, Hong Kong, and Macao) are included in manpower mobilization for supporting military actions.

For those who have met the conditions above and wish to join a volunteer firefighter branch (for the selection procedure, candidates shall start as a member of branch except for a consultant position), the branch officers are selected by the volunteer firefighter branches. This shall be reported to the jurisdiction’s branches and transferred to the Fire Department for hire approval. Call your local fire department for the information to contact a volunteer firefighter branch.