The cleanup effort for the rescue sites and damaged areas from the February 6 earthquake disaster was completed on February 14. Because it had to deal with the earthquake, Tainan City Government quickly changed modes from emergency response and search and rescue mode to restore to former conditions mode. At the Emergency Response Center commander meeting Mayor Lai indicated that the 0206 Earthquake Service Center, which is set up on the first floor of the Yonghua Civic Center, would provide the very best services and assistance to victims and families that have been affected by the earthquake.
Preparations for the 0206 Earthquake Service Center have already been completed and the center went into operation on February 15. Residents affected or hurt by the earthquake can apply for different types of emergency financial aid, rent subsidies, replacements for identification documents, tax reductions and exemptions for damaged houses or vehicles, and other types of safeguards and protections for the rights and benefits of individual persons. There is also a desk for legal consultation and follow-up legal assistance that will help households affected by the earthquake apply for reimbursement and file lawsuits.
The earthquake service center has 11 units: Social Affairs Bureau; Civil Affairs Bureau; Urban Development Bureau; Tax Bureau; Land Administration Bureau; Police Bureau; Finance Department; Legal Affairs Department; National Tax Administration; Public Works Bureau; Research, Development, and Evaluation Commission; Education Bureau; and Yongkang District Office. People can use the same service desk to take care of everything that they need, which makes the entire process convenient and quick.
The phone number for the 0206 Earthquake Service Center is 06-3901599. In an effort to make it easier for earthquake-affected residents to come to the center, the city government has set up designated parking spaces and there are shuttle services for those needing to go back and forth between different government offices. The city government is striving to provide the best services possible because it believes that residents should be treated like family and it wants to help them overcome the pain caused by this devastating earthquake.
In order to make information both up-to-date and transparent, the city government has set up a link for issues concerning the earthquake on the city government’s home page. This will allow different sectors of society to be able to both inform themselves and monitor the government.