Disaster Risk Reducation Education

On September 8, 2023, a severe earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck North Africa in Morocco, causing rare and extensive damage in the region. This event serves as a reminder of the importance of discussing and prioritizing disaster-related issues. September 21 is recognized as National Disaster Preparedness Day, during which educational institutions at all levels, including special education schools and pre-schools, participate in earthquake drills and practice emergency procedures, such as sheltering and evacuation. For instance, at the National Hsinchu Special School, teachers are dedicated to ensuring the safe evacuation of students with mobile functional limitations as well as providing emotional care and support for children with emotional challenges. These efforts demand considerable dedication and diligence, testing the patience, crisis management, and adaptability of these teachers. Therefore, in this edition we introduce the "Disaster Preparedness Reference Guide for Persons with Disabilities" issued by the Ministry of Education (MOE). This guide offers clear disaster preparedness instructions and explanations tailored to different disability categories. It aids teachers in swiftly understanding the specific needs of students with disabilities and preparing for effective responses.

Disaster evacuation drills are a crucial component of campus safety, while Disaster Risk Reduction Education (DRRE) lays the foundation for building students' disaster literacy. The development of teaching materials and teaching aids further enhances students' awareness of disaster preparedness and risk reduction. The National Fire Agency (NFA), in the Ministry of the Interior, has established the "Disaster Preparedness Virtual Experience Center," emphasizing a comprehensive, intelligent disaster preparedness immersive experience. Challengers take on the roles of disaster response team members and, as they progress through the challenges, they not only gain a sense of achievement but also acquire correct disaster preparedness knowledge.

Advanced Disaster Prevention Campuses integrate the local culture and environmental characteristics of schools to develop systematic disaster education teaching materials and lessons. No matter these materials and lessons involve incorporating AR/VR technology, field trips exploring local terrain, or wilderness survival exercises, these schools showcase their diverse and creative approaches. In this year's "Advanced Disaster-resilient Schools Regional Exchange Activity," two seeded schools jointly organized the event, each presenting different forms of study programs. This allowed teachers from all Advanced Disaster-resilient schools to engage in mutual exchanges and observations while sparking inspiration and enthusiasm for promoting DRRE on their campuses.

Sharing and passing down DRRE experiences can promote progress and mutual benefits. These contribute to strengthening the overall disaster preparedness capabilities of campus response organizations, county and city governments, and even the country. We continue to invite county and city governments’ DRRE counselling teams to share their promotion experiences about DRRE. The Taipei City Government and Yilan County Government, both recipients of the "Operation Excellence Award" in the 11th Disaster Prevention Conference (entitled “Child Safety We Care”), share insights into their organizational mechanisms and strategies. Furthermore, the National Cheng Kung University Disaster Prevention Education Center, featured in this issue's International Knowledge Section, shares the results of recent efforts in promoting disaster management courses in the New Southbound countries. All these efforts aim to extend our disaster prevention and reduction techniques to Southeast Asian countries, fostering cross-border cooperation and exchange in disaster preparedness.

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