The results of a public opinion survey by Taiwanese think tank Institute for National Defense and Security Research has shown that more than 70% of the public is willing to receive civil defense training during peacetime, with “evacuation and life-saving” and “basic defense” topics as top preferences. The survey was conducted from June 12 to 23, with 1,200 valid samples completed.

Survey results further showed that “evacuation and emergency life-saving” and “basic defense and self-protection skills” ranked highest, at 74.5% and 71.5% respectively; about 60% of respondents also expressed willingness to learn “first aid and medical care” and “community mutual assistance and support work.” 

Technology-related items such as cybersecurity or drone operation, however, drew less interest, with pronounced differences across gender and age groups. Experts suggest that when planning civil defense courses in the future, the government could first establish a core curriculum, reserving high-barrier technology for specific target groups.

Per associate research fellow Li Guan-cheng (李冠成), who led the survey, the results highlight that public expectations for civil defense training center on practical courses. 

Li believes that although the government has in recent years actively promoted the introduction of drones and other technology equipment into civil defense and social systems, the public seems to prefer prioritizing basic skills in evacuation, self-help, and helping others. 

The survey was conducted by the Pollcracy Lab online survey laboratory at National Chengchi University's Election Study Center, using the LimeSurvey online survey system. The sample was drawn from the online survey respondent database built through the Election Study Center's past telephone surveys, constituting a quasi-probability sample.