Page 21 - 2019 Annual Report Hsinchu Science Park

command, the HSPB held a dozen meetings with the National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior and Hsinchu City and County governments in recent years on transferring the authority over firefighting operations. A breakthrough was made in 2019 when the Hsinchu City government officially took over firefighting operations on the Hsinchu Park’s premises in the city on January 1. It was also decided that the Hsinchu County government would do the same with regard to Hsinchu Park premises under its jurisdiction precisely one year later; transitional preparations were to be made between September 1 and December 31, 2019. As such, firefighting operations have now been unified across the HSP, a development set to help ensure the fire safety of tenant companies. Separately, the HSPB, fire bureaus of both Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County, and the Association of Industries in Science Parks have jointly set up a platform to facilitate resolution of any dispute or coordination with respect to other firefighting matters. In 2019, a total of four meetings were held on this platform to discuss firefighting issues.
Bolstering of the Police Force
In recent years, the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park and the Yilan Park have seen a growing influx of tenant companies and undertaken a number of major construction projects. But local governments simply do not have a sufficient police force needed to fully address their security and traffic concerns in a timely manner. After years of persistent appeal to the Ministry of the Interior and the Executive Yuan, or Cabinet, the HSPB secured Cabinet approval in August 2019 of adding a 30-person police force. Both the Yilan Park and the Hsinchu Biomedical Science Park are thus expected to have their respective special police squads in 2020. Their presence will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of tenant companies and their employees,
which is surely an essential requirement for a quality investment and operating environment.
Emergency Response and Disaster Prevention Drills
In 2019, the HSPB started preparing for an emergency response center and a 24-hour hotline to ensure timely reporting of any major accident or disaster and a swift response thus warranted. On a daily basis, the center is also to be responsible for keeping in contact with tenant companies and central and local disaster prevention/relief agencies. The center officially became operational on January 1, 2020. Separately, the HSPB conducted a number of emergency response drills in 2019 to bolster the HSP’s capacity for responding to disasters and safeguarding critical infrastructure facilities. On January 16, the HSPB and the Miaoli County Fire Bureau conducted a joint drill to simulate responses and evacuation in the wake of a disaster deriving from fire-induced toxic chemicals in the Jhunan Park. On September 20, the HSPB was joined by the Hsinchu City Fire Bureau in a 2019 National Disaster Prevention Day drill in the Hsinchu Park. Participants simulated responses to a toxic chemicals spill caused by an earthquake, putting to test the capacity for consolidating resources and responding to a major disaster of all parties concerned, as well as the integrity of the overall disaster prevention and relief framework.
1. YouBike Station at the Association of Industries in the Hsinchu Park
2. A meeting on the transfer of the Hsinchu Park’s firefighting operations on premises under the jurisdiction of Hsinchu County
3. The 2019 National Disaster Prevention Day drill in the Hsinchu Park
4. An emergency response and disaster prevention drill in the Jhunan Park
Chapter 2 │ Infrastructure 19
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