Image reproduced from 非凡新聞

The Wan'an exercises serve as the name for Taiwan's military and civil defense drills, primarily designed to simulate responses to actual warfare and air raid situations. With advancements in technology, accessing information about the nearest shelters has become easier; residents can simply visit the Ministry of the Interior's civil defense shelter zone and link to Google Maps to find nearby safe havens.

According to reports from public media, the Songshan MRT Station in Taipei features its civil defense shelter space located from B1 to B3, with a capacity of 27,000 individuals. However, since July, the Ministry of the Interior has mandated that all civil defense sites capable of accommodating over 500 individuals be placed under management. These facilities must ensure clear access points, be equipped with basic lighting, prevent water accumulation, and remain unobstructed for evacuation; non-compliant cases will be referred to law enforcement agencies.

Director Zhang Wenchuan of the Taipei City Police Department's Civil Defense Control Center stated that should residents encounter blockages or stored items within the shelters, they are encouraged to report them to local police precincts or the city government. Under current regulations, failure to comply with air raid alert procedures may result in fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$150,000.

Considering the current warfare dynamics, where air raids are primarily characterized by missile bombings, the National Land Agency has recently announced a draft revision of the Building Technical Regulations. This revision stipulates that for new schools and factories, the per capita civil defense shelter space must be increased to 1 square meter in accordance with Swiss standards. Furthermore, it introduces specifications for ventilation systems, which should utilize mechanical ventilation, alongside emergency lighting equipment and power outlets for use during civil defense situations, including the establishment of fixed restrooms.

He Chenghui, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Security Association, pointed out that many types of collective residential buildings in Taiwan utilize underground parking lots as shelter spaces. The functionality of ventilation systems during power outages is crucial. Switzerland, having maintained its status as a neutral country for centuries and not encountering actual warfare for over 400 years, has not become complacent due to its peaceful history.

The draft also mentions that general non-essential infrastructure or non-key military bases, while not direct attack targets, may still be indirectly affected due to the parabolic flight paths of missiles. Current Taiwanese regulations require that exposed surface roofs and walls must be at least 24 centimeters thick, while references from other countries stipulate that shelter walls must be at least 30 centimeters thick with reinforced concrete, suggesting that Taiwan may also consider similar adjustments in the future.

The introduction of these new standards aims to enhance public safety in the event of air raids and ensure that civil defense facilities meet basic survival needs. The implementation and management of these new regulations will depend on further planning by the relevant authorities.