Registering 7.2 on the Richter scales, the January 17, 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake — then Japan’s worst natural disaster since World War II, next only to the Isewan Typhoon — left 6,430 dead, 40,000-odd injured, more than 510,000 houses partially or fully destroyed. It also caused private and public property losses, totaling 10 trillion yen. On July 10th of that same year, the newly restructured Taipei City Fire Department set about building Taiwan’s first fire safety museum and arming it with simulation features, in order to raise awareness about natural crises and the correct approaches to tackling them.
Employing computerized, electronic or mechanical simulations, the museum now offers quasi-physical experiences of various natural hazards — along with thorough mini-documentaries on their respective histories and characteristics — in the hope that visitors will make preparations accordingly for fires, floods, earthquakes, typhoons and other types of calamity part of their daily life. Fun tips are also incorporated into the exhibits to help visitors brace for the unexpected more efficiently.
In conveying what they have learned from those educational displays to friends and families, the museum-goers can spread the message and help to effectively avert the threat of disasters.
Keep in mind:
(1) All visitors will be charged an admission fee. To ensure high-quality services, however, please follow the museum guides’ instructions.
(2) Interactive displays are available ONLY to visitors aged 4 or older.
Fire Safety Museum 防災科學教育館
