We Work as One Delivering Warmth to the Disaster Areas / 同心協力 送溫暖到災區
We Work as One Delivering Warmth to the Disaster Areas
◎Text by Yu-Chun Lin ◎Photos by Chung-Hui Pao and Chia-Tse Kao
On August 9th, Kaohsiung City Government activated its emergency relief resource mechanism in response to the heavy damages caused in southern Taiwan by Typhoon Morakot. The emergency mechanism served as a command central to consolidate forces among several related government bureaus and divisions as well as civilian groups in order to optimize the use of human resources, materials, machinery, and tools in the relief efforts in the neighboring disaster areas including Kaohsiung County, Pingtung County, Tainan County, and Chiayi County. The emergency relief mechanism has been working vigorously on disaster relief tasks ever since. As of September 1st, volunteers mobilized by Kaohsiung City Government who went to other counties have reached over 1,155 people and there have been over 359 truckloads of relief materials sent to the disaster areas from Kaohsiung City.
In order to conduct the disaster relief work more efficiently, the emergency relief resource mechanism was grouped into three divisions: "Needs Consolidation", "Resource Logistics" and "Rebuild and Recovery". Mayor Chu Chen said, since the emergency relief resource mechanism was activated, the citizens of Kaohsiung have responded in kind with their spirit of "love thy neighbor". They have donated money and goods that are needed for everyday use. Moreover, volunteers have continued to come and help with the distribution of the goods. The mayor was very touched by their gestures and would like to express her gratitude to these people. She hopes that by delivering the goods, we are also delivering some warmth to the heart of those who are suffering as we help them to rebuild their homes and lives.
In the courtyard of Kaohsiung City Hall -one of the collection stations -many enthusiastic volunteers came, including an online bulletin board system group: PTT. PPT officially kicked off a donation event online at 2:20am, August 9th. On August 10th, PTT members already began to take action by coming to Kaohsiung City Hall to join the work.
Because there was no official organization or system chart for volunteers, many of them simply took initiative and attended to where they saw need, such as moving heavy boxes, data entry, going to the disaster area with relief trucks, etc. There was no schedule assigned, no "office hours", they were entirely self-motivated to do the work.
Between August 10th and 21st, the number of people who showed up as PPT disaster relief team members totaled 12,000, most of them were stationed at locations such as Tzu Chi, City Hall, and Longhua Primary School. They started early in the morning and usually didn't leave until after 10:00pm. Team leaders had to stay even later for meetings. PTT's Kaohsiung division webmaster Yi-Ci Tang said, most of the team leaders volunteered themselves for the additional work, they took up complicated logistic work according to their areas of specialty. In their own ways, they all hope to give to the disaster relief.
Mr. Tang pointed out that PTT released the call for donations at the time when the news reported more and more devastating disaster damage happening in Kaohsiung County and Pingtung County, and responses flooded in as soon as the call for donations came out. With the help of volunteers, the items were delivered to Kaohsiung City Government quickly. The number of people involved was more than the documented headcount.
In order to move the items quickly and more efficiently, volunteers formed a long line and manually passed things around. Their dedication and enthusiasm touched the hearts of those who came to City Hall for their own business and they either donated money or goods, or joined the volunteer line.
Mr. Tang concluded that this event has been a very educational experience for him. Even though no one had any actual experience, it was the thoughts that counted, and when so many people worked together with that level of dedication, the process itself was priceless. In the future, he will continue to use the web as an instantaneous, multimedia platform to show the love we have for our society.
同心協力 送溫暖到災區
◎文／王雅湘 ◎攝影／鮑忠暉．高嘉澤
莫拉克颱風重創南台灣，高雄市政府於8月9日緊急啟動物資救援機制，統籌相關局處及發動民間團體投注人力、物資、機具，積極投入鄰近包括高雄縣、屏東縣、台南縣、嘉義縣等災區，展開災害救助。截至９月１日，高雄市政府動員志工到外縣市支援救災人力已逾1155人次，載送救援物資至災區共計359車次。
為更有效地進行救災支援工作，物資救援機制依功能分成「需求彙整」、「物資配送」及「重建復原」三個小組。陳菊市長表示，自市府啟動物資救援機制以來，市民發揮「人溺己溺」精神，不僅慷慨解囊，紛紛捐助各種民生物資，志工朋友們更不斷地主動報到，協助物資配送，市長深受感動並表達感謝之意，期待把這些溫暖，送到災民手中，重建家園。
而物資募集地之一：高雄市政府中庭，聚集許多熱心的志工，其中包括PTT網友，從８月9日凌晨2點20分開始，在網路上發動物資募集，8月10日PTT的網友們進駐高雄市政府實地參與。
為數不少的志工在沒有組織與系統之下，自動自發地配合搬重物、資料輸入、隨車到災區等，沒有上工的時間表，完全是自主性管理。
從8月10日到21日，高雄縣市參與的PTT救災團約有１萬2千人，人數集中在慈濟、市府以及龍華國小，從早一直忙到晚上10點多，幹部們還要留下來開會。PTT高雄版版主唐奕琦表示，幹部們的組成是自願性質，依自身的能力與專長負責調配等繁雜的事務，但志工們很希望自己的加入能略盡綿薄之力。
唐奕琦指出，當高雄縣與屏東縣災情越來越嚴重之際，PTT一釋出捐贈物資的訊息，便獲得網友們熱烈回應，並且很快地將物資集中到高雄市政府中庭，參與人數之多，遠遠超乎想像。
為了更有效率地搬運物資，志工們擺出人龍陣仗，他們的熱情感動了許多到市府洽公的民眾，紛紛捐出物資與善款，或者直接投入志工行列。
唐奕琦說，自己學到許多寶貴的經驗，儘管許多方面經驗不足，但是大家一起付出的心力是難能可貴的。未來，他仍會藉由網路繼續發揮即時與媒合的功能，傳達網友們關愛社會的聲音。
伸出援手
Helping hands
圖博精神領袖達賴喇嘛於8月31日到小林村為災民祈福
Dalai Lama prays for victims of Siaolin on August 31st.