Wulai District

Good example - Safe leisure times

Case 1: Hazardous Water Area Safety Maintenance

(1) Background:
Wulai Scenic Area is ranked among the top ten tourist attractions in New Taipei City. Due to the large number of visitors —and the fact that some tourists and a few residents are unfamiliar with water safety or underestimate the dangers of streams，and they may ignore warning signs and risk their safety — accidents such as drowning, falls and scalding from wild hot springs have occurred.

(2) Objective:
To strengthen warning signs and lifesaving equipment, promote water safety knowledge, and prevent accidents including drowning, scalding from wild hot springs, and falls.

(3) Target Audience:
All tourists and residents in Wulai District

(4) Partners:
Land and Economic Affairs Division of the District Office, Wulai Fire Brigade, village offices, Red Cross Lifesaving Team, Tourist Center, partnering businesses, tour guide volunteers, and stream patrol volunteers

(5) Methods:
A. Facilities and Equipment: Install more visible warning signs and reachable lifesaving posts, life buoys, poles, ropes.
B. On-Site Lifeguards: Coordinate with Wulai Fire Brigade and the Red Cross to assign lifeguards at high-risk areas.
C. Patrol and Safety Promotion: Stream patrols and tour guide volunteers provide safety education, supported by a broadcast alert system.
D. CCTV Monitoring: Install CCTV systems in hazardous areas with regular monitoring. Surveillance is intensified before dam discharges and during typhoons or heavy rains. Any anomalies are reported to the police or fire department immediately.
E. QR Code Educational Materials: QR codes linked to first aid and water safety videos are placed near dangerous waters (see Figures 1 and 2).
F. New Taipei Disaster Alert E-Map: This GIS-based system includes four core functions: real-time disaster alerts, public disaster prevention communities, disaster maps (E-MAP), and a digital evacuation guide.

(6) Outcomes:
On August 9, 2024, in Wulai’s mountainous region, four children participating in a summer river-tracing activity were trapped due to flash flooding after a sudden downpour. Thanks to the teacher’s alertness and timely disaster awareness training, combined with the quick arrival of the fire brigade, all were rescued safely. The teacher’s early detection of abnormal stream flow and immediate reporting were crucial. This incident highlights the value of continuous disaster education in enabling timely judgment and preventing casualties.
We will continue improving our monitoring and rescue systems and enhancing safety education and public awareness to minimize recreational accidents, ensuring that both residents and visitors can safely enjoy the beauty of Wulai.

 

Good example - Disaster preparedness and response

Case 2: Promotion of Disaster Relief Volunteers and Resilient Communities

(1) Background:
Empowering communities to conduct self-organized disaster prevention is critical in mitigating natural disaster impacts. Since 2002, Taiwan has promoted community-based disaster preparedness, which includes training Disaster Relief Volunteers (DRVs) to assist with evacuation during and after disasters. However, due to the traditional top-down approach to disaster management, communities have shown low participation in the program. After initiating the Safe Community Program, Wulai began to prioritize this initiative, with each village nominating personnel for DRV training.

(2) Objective:
To train Disaster Relief Volunteers to support community preparedness and reduce disaster-related damage.

(3) Target Audience:
Residents of Wulai District

(4) Partners:
Wulai District Office, Wulai Fire Brigade

(5) Method:
Nominate local personnel to participate in official DRV training.

The 8-hour DRV training program includes topics such as personal and household safety, community disaster response planning, shelter operation, and Basic Life Support (BLS). A DRV must have completed the training courses and obtained the certificate. They assist with resilient community planning, guide residents in mutual aid and evacuation, and act as liaisons between government agencies, emergency responders, communities, and the public.

(6) Outcomes:
Wulai District has trained 51 DRVs, all of whom also serve on the Natural Disaster Prevention Team.
During Typhoon Khanun on July 24, 2024, preventive evacuations were conducted in three villages. Though landslides damaged roads and buildings, no casualties occurred.
In daily operations, the Natural Disaster Team monitors hazard-prone areas, tracks weather alerts, and coordinates responses to typhoons, landslides, floods, and earthquakes. Other working teams also support:

• Recreational Safety Team: patrols scenic spots and assists in post-disaster cleanup.
• School Safety Team: alerts and inspects campuses.
• Home Safety Team: coordinates with village leaders to promote disaster preparedness, provided disaster maps and information on evacuation and emergency shelters, and compiled rosters of personnel and inventories of emergency supplies.

Wulai District’s achievements in both the software and hardware aspects of disaster preparedness—as well as its performance during actual disasters—not only helped reduce disaster-related losses but also earned recognition and commendations from the New Taipei City Government.

     Certified Disaster Relief Volunteers by Village

   

Village	No. of Certified DRVs
Zhongzhi	14
Xinxian	7
Fushan	5
Wulai	23
Xiaoyi	2

Good example - Suicide prevention

Case 3: Suicide Prevention Promotion

 

(1) Background:
In Indigenous cultures, suicide is traditionally taboo. However, in Wulai, the number of suicide attempts and high-risk case reports has been increasing. This may indicate growing awareness and use of the reporting system, or it could reflect a real rise in suicide risk. Therefore, a community-accepted suicide prevention strategy was launched, involving both public and private stakeholders.

(2) Objectives:

• Improve service quality and management for suicide cases; provide accessible counseling services
• Conduct activities promoting mental health

(3) Target Audience:
Residents of the Wulai community

(4) Partners:
Local Public health center, village leaders, schools, churches, tribal cultural and health stations, Indigenous elders’ and women’s associations, community development associations, Cardinal Tien Hospital

(5) Methods:
Administrative coordination meetings were used to establish strategies across three levels:

1. Universal Prevention:
   Targeting all Wulai residents to promote mental well-being and accurate understanding of suicide.
   Activities include mental health education, anti-stigma campaigns on mental illness and suicide, distribution of materials, and promotion via various media (print, Facebook, LINE, etc.).
2. Selective Prevention:
   Focused on high-risk individuals with suicidal thoughts.
   Actions include:

• Promoting the gatekeeper concept and conducting gatekeeper training to identify, intervene early, and provide timely help
• Recruiting tribal volunteers to form a “life protection network” through churches, reflecting the Atayal culture of community care
• Incorporating the Brief Symptom Rating Scale into health checks for enhanced screening

1. Indicated Prevention:
   For individuals who have attempted suicide.
   Measures include:

• Strengthening the reporting and follow-up system
• Providing data feedback and establishing support systems
• Offering free psychological counseling, church-based support, telemedicine for mental health
• Providing care and support to the bereaved family members and friends of individuals who have died by suicide

(6) Outcomes:
Suicide prevention requires long-term commitment. To date, 72 gatekeepers of various backgrounds have been trained.

Through our collective efforts, we look forward to making Wulai a Safe Community where residents enjoy physical and mental well-being, respect for life, and lead happy and hopeful lives.

               Number of Gatekeepers Trained:

Category	Number Trained
Tribal volunteers	20
Long-term care workers	12
Volunteer police officers	20
Volunteer firefighters	20