TAICHUNG (TVBS News) — Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen (盧秀燕) addressed concerns about the effectiveness of the emergency intercom system on Wednesday (May 22), following a knife attack on the Taichung Metro a day earlier.
Mayor Lu explained that the design of pressing and holding the intercom for a few seconds aimed to prevent accidental activation. However, she acknowledged the need for improvement and said the city government would consider shortening the activation time.
When the incident occurred a day earlier, passengers attempted to use the intercom for help but received no response. This has sparked a debate on whether the design, which requires pressing and holding for several seconds to activate, is practical in emergencies.
The emergency intercoms are marked with instructions to press and hold for three seconds. Still, in the heat of the moment, the passenger who tried to use it could not communicate with the control center.
Despite the intercom not facilitating communication during the attack, the control center was aware of the situation through surveillance systems and initiated emergency procedures.
Commitment to Safety Improvements
Yen Pang-chieh (顏邦傑), the Taichung Mass Rapid Transit Corp chairman, has committed to following Mayor Lu's instructions to improve the intercom system's design.
Mayor Lu emphasized that while the design aims to prevent misuse or false reports, the incident has highlighted the need for a system that can quickly respond, even if accidentally activated.
This incident has prompted reevaluating safety measures on the Taichung Metro, focusing on ensuring that emergency communication devices are accessible and effective when passengers need them most.
