Taipei City Government

To raise awareness on disaster prevention, the Parks and Street Lights Office (PSLO) has installed for the first time a set of “stool and bench stoves” at Daan Forest Park, one of the city’s designated evacuation shelters.
The stool transforms into a single-burner stove by removing the top part, while the bench stove has a capacity for two burners and one grate allowing for different cooking needs. The facilities will provide an immediate solution for evacuees who have to manage cooking at times of difficulties.
According to PSLO Director Huang Li-yun, in addition to serving as venues for ecological, conservation, landscaping, and recreational purposes during normal times, the disaster prevention parks become designated evacuation centers at times of emergencies. The venues will become headquarters for the coordination of rescue effort, relief distribution, offering landing areas for helicopters, among other uses.
By blending disaster prevention related amenities into the park’s environment, the government hopes to constantly remind residents of the importance of disaster preparedness.
The approach is especially necessary for an island prone to disasters such as earthquakes, typhoons, heavy storms, and tsunamis. In light of this, governments at all levels have begun the implementation of shelter mechanism at major parks since the September 21 Earthquake in 1999.
PSLO noted that more effort will be made to enhance the functionality of park facilities across the city, seeking to strengthen the parks’ role both as recreational spaces and as emergency shelters.