Taiwan President Lai Inspects School Earthquake Drill, Praising Calm and Preparedness

President Lai Ching-te visited the Kaohsiung Special Education School this morning to inspect the campus earthquake evacuation drill held for "National Disaster Prevention Day." Faced with the simulated earthquake scenario, the faculty and students demonstrated a high level of vigilance and the solid results of their routine training. The moment the alarm sounded, teachers and students responded immediately, performing the three key actions for earthquake protection—drop, cover, and hold on—and were guided by teachers to evacuate quickly and orderly to safe areas. Following the inspection, President Lai highly commended and praised the faculty and students, specifically complimenting the students for their outstanding performance. He noted that not only were their actions precise, but they also displayed a calm and composed attitude throughout the process, which was deeply impressive.

In his speech, President Lai further pointed out that the smooth and rigorous disaster prevention drill at the Kaohsiung Special Education School clearly reflects the Kaohsiung City Government's ongoing concern and substantive support for the field of special education. Situated in a seismic zone and an area frequently struck by typhoons, disaster prevention has always been of paramount importance to national security, with campus disaster prevention serving as a core link that cannot be overlooked. For students with physical and mental disabilities, facing sudden earthquakes often requires additional assistance and specialized emergency measures. The fact that the Kaohsiung Special Education School has implemented disaster prevention education so thoroughly not only demonstrates the city government team's investment of administrative resources, but also highlights the dedication and professionalism of frontline educators.

September 21 of each year is Taiwan's "National Disaster Prevention Day," a designation historically rooted in the devastating 921 earthquake of 1999. This magnitude 7.3 earthquake inflicted indelible trauma and massive economic losses on Taiwanese society, prompting both the government and the private sector to deeply reflect on the shortcomings of the disaster prevention and rescue system. To remember this historical lesson and continuously raise public awareness of crises, the Executive Yuan subsequently designated September 21 as National Disaster Prevention Day, holding large-scale nationwide disaster drills on this day every year. The scope of these drills extends from central government ministries, various local governments, and medical institutions to schools at all levels nationwide, testing Taiwan's overall disaster resistance and emergency response capabilities through unannounced or scheduled live-action simulations.

Under the framework of National Disaster Prevention Day, disaster prevention drills in schools at all levels have consistently been a major focus of implementation. The Ministry of Education and the National Fire Agency of the Ministry of the Interior have long cooperated to promote the campus disaster prevention education cultivation program, requiring all schools nationwide to regularly hold earthquake evacuation and shelter drills every year. With the gradual popularization of concepts such as special education equity and inclusive education, disaster prevention drills in special education schools have also garnered significant attention. Students in special education schools may have diverse needs encompassing hearing impairments, visual impairments, physical disabilities, or intellectual disabilities, which requires standard disaster prevention procedures to be tailored accordingly. For example, hearing-impaired students require visual warning lights to accompany auditory alarms, while physically disabled students need specialized evacuation chairs or dedicated personnel to assist with relocation. The results showcased by the Kaohsiung Special Education School this time serve as a microcosm of the gradual maturation of Taiwan's special education disaster prevention education.

President Lai's personal trip south for the inspection is not only a direct encouragement to the special education teachers and students in Kaohsiung, but also carries high political and social promotional significance. It demonstrates the central government's high regard for campus safety, particularly in the care and disaster preparedness of vulnerable students; the President's personal inspection conveys an inclusive governance philosophy of "leaving no one behind in disaster prevention." With frequent seismic activity in Taiwan in recent years—ranging from the major earthquake in Hualien to felt earthquakes of varying magnitudes across the island—building a resilient nation has become a core governance objective for the current administration. As campuses serve as vital venues for nurturing the next generation, enhancing the disaster preparedness literacy of teachers and students not only protects the safety of the students themselves, but also further influences every family through the deep rooting of disaster prevention knowledge, thereby strengthening the overall resilience of Taiwanese society in coping with extreme disasters and sudden crises.