Taipei: The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) announced that the number of Taiwanese citizens completing disaster prevention specialist training is projected to reach 110,000 by the end of the year, surpassing the initial target of 100,000.

According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwan's geographical susceptibility to earthquakes and typhoons prompted the government to initiate disaster prevention training. This program targets ward and village chiefs, housewives, military conscripts, and NGO members to enhance social resilience.

As of December 22, a total of 94,102 citizens had completed the program, including 63,248 men and 30,854 women. The MOI remains confident in reaching 110,000 trained individuals by year-end, exceeding the initial goal.

The ministry plans to extend support to local governments in promoting the program, aiming to include foreign caregivers, long-term care workers, and community volunteers. This expansion seeks to bolster grassroots disaster preparedness and strengthen social resilience.

Initiated in 2018, the training curriculum encompasses disaster prevention and response, situation assessment, household protective measures, community coordination, evacuation route planning, and practical skills like bleeding control, wound bandaging, CPR, and AED usage.

The MOI highlighted that the program equips the public for self-help and mutual aid in large-scale disasters, while fostering collaboration between public and private sectors for disaster prevention and mitigation.