Basic Report

Local governments play a pivotal role as the primary agents of regional disaster and safety management, being the administrative entities closest to disaster scenes and capable of swift decision-making and agile responses to on-site demands effectively. Tailoring disaster and safety management systems to local conditions further enhances their ability to manage crises efficiently. However, the current centralized disaster and safety management system in our country constrains the autonomous functioning of local governments. Establishing a region-led disaster and safety management system requires a comprehensive examination of the specific challenges faced by local disaster and safety management systems and the development of effective improvement measures tailored to each region's needs. This study thus first provides a systematic review of region-led disaster and safety management theories, and assesses the current status and limitations of local disaster and safety management systems.
   In Chapter 2, the study defines the concepts of disaster and safety management with key words, and contextualizes the shift towards region-centric disaster and safety management within a paradigm shift of disaster risk reduction. It also analyzes the evolution of domestic disaster and safety-related laws and organizations, emphasizing the fundamental duty of both national and local governments to protect citizens' lives and property. Through a systematic review of related studies, the study identifies the centralized structure of the disaster and safety management system as a potential limitation to the effective role of local governments. Proposed solutions to enhance the autonomy of local governments include strengthening regional disaster and safety professionals, ensuring stable financial resources, and fostering collaborations between the public and private sectors.
   Chapter 3 delves into the current status of the regional disaster and safety management system across four sectors: legal and institutional, organizational and personnel, budget and resources, and information and governance. From a legal and institutional perspective, the study observes that local governments face limitations in exercising authority in disaster and safety management. Additionally, the overlapping roles among different agencies are another limitation, necessitating improvements in the delivery system for reporting requests to disaster response agencies. Second, the study recommends enhancing the capabilities of disaster and safety sector professionals. The workload and responsibility within the Department of Disaster and Safety Management at local governments are perceived as very high, resulting in frequent staff rotations that hinder the accumulation of experience and expertise. Regarding the budget and resources, there's a need to improve local government awareness and attitudes towards the disaster and safety sector with continuous efforts. In particular, the lack of policy will and lowered interest from local government heads are identified as key influencing factors that impact the allocation of budgets for the disaster and safety sector, necessitating regulatory interventions to address this issue. From the perspective of information management and governance, there is a crucial need for an activated cooperation system involving the central government and private institutions. Additionally, the utilization of inter-agency information-sharing systems is essential for effective coordination during emergencies. Moreover, local efforts to independently record and manage on-site response information are also necessary.
   Chapter 4 presents survey results among public officials responsible for disaster and safety management in local governments, identifying perceived limitations and improvement measures. The key findings are as follows. Firstly, although respondents agree that local governments should lead in performing disaster and safety management tasks, they highlight operational limitations within the current system. In terms of the coordination and collaboration, it is evident that the cooperative system with other relevant departments, both internal and external agencies within the region, does not function as efficiently as within their own departments. This deficiency highlights the necessity for appropriate organizational restructuring and empowerment. This restructuring aims to enable the disaster and safety management department to effectively lead and command all employees during emergency situations. Among the issues and improvement measures identified across the four areas (legal and institutional, organizational and personnel, budget and resources, information and governance), the most significant limitations are found within the organizational and personnel section. Lastly, according to the survey results, there is a pressing need to strengthen information sharing and collaborative governance with the central government. Specifically, key areas requiring improvement include the command and control system, the collaborative network between the central and local governments, and information sharing during emergency situations.
   Upon a synthesis of the main research findings, the Chapter 5 finally proposes policy directions and strategies for region-centered disaster safety management. It emphasizes that a region-led disaster and safety management system does not mean assigning all responsibilities to local governments. Instead, it signifies a transformation in the relationship between national and local governments regarding disaster and safety management, moving away from a centralized structure towards enhanced mutual cooperation and support. Recognizing that the financial and structural capacities of local governments vary, and smaller ones may face greater challenges, premature delegation of tasks from the central to local government could lead to unexpected confusions and failures. To empower regions to effectively respond to disasters, it is essential to improve the conditions and capabilities of local governments while ensuring a long-term plan and directional guidance.