台灣地區屬海島型國家，因地理位置特殊，位處於西太平洋颱風區域與環太平洋地震帶，自古以來颱風與地震次數頻繁，在歷次颱風因強風豪雨所帶來之損害，均對民眾生命財產造成嚴重威脅與傷害。 政府部門如何因應面對才足以負荷災害來襲時之應變作為及復建措施，為當前防救災策略與機制應用之主要課題，期許能將災害來襲時所造成的人命傷亡、財物損失降至最低，本文以嘉義市防災機制為主要分析項目，探討我國與先進國家美國災害防救法令上的比較，並對防災機制提出建議，其中針對政策面、制度面與執行面探討，為有效達到減災及災害預防、應變能力之目的。 另外藉由美台兩國災害應變機制相關資料與重大災害應變過程，作為我國發展災害防救體系的參考，對嘉義市目前防災機制運作情形提出建議。藉此研究希望能對我國災害防救工作更深入研究提供建言及建議，使各單位由彼此協調至積極合作，中央與地方政府能更有效率因應突如其來之災難。 從美國災害防救體系中，檢驗其實際面優缺點，同時更細部針對嘉義市地區災害特性進行災害潛勢分析及境況模擬，並著手進行嘉義市現行之地區災害防救計畫及災害防救業務進行檢討分析，進而推展地區災害防救計畫之修訂、檢討與強化，作為嘉義市未來災害防救之修正目標。最後依據就理論及實際層面之研究結果進行全篇的整理，提出完善我國災害應變機制之具體方案，如法令規章、中央與地方權責劃分、災害防救專職人員制度等，並作為本論文研究發展的貢獻建議。 Taiwan is an island nation located in the western Pacific Ocean just off the eastern coast of China. Due to the island's specific geographic location it is susceptible to tropical typhoons and large scale earthquakes. The typhoons can generate massive flooding in the lower coastal plains and can create deadly landsides that damage entire villages. Government departments must be able to meet the demands that a natural disaster could bring on the island. The response to incoming disasters, and the reconstruction processes that follow such disasters, should be addressed in the current disaster plans. This plan must include methods to minimize the number of causalities and the damage to property in Chiayi City. This paper analyzes the mechanisms of the prevention project in comparison to the United States of America's Disaster Prevention and Relief Act. The emphasis of this article is on the operation of the current disaster readiness plan and its prevention techniques in order to make recommendations to the existing strategies and policies. In addition to the comparisons between the United States and Taiwan's Disaster Readiness Plans, it is the hope of this paper to provide a more in-depth study that would lead to recommendations and suggestions for the coordinating procedures of different units and departments of various government offices on the central and local levels when responding to a natural disaster in order increase efficiency. It is necessary to identify the United States of America's Disaster Prevention and Relief Plans strengths and weaknesses on a practical view point in order to analyze the detailed characteristics of Chiayi City's Disaster Prevention and Relief Plan to make necessary amendments where needed. Finally, based upon the theoretical and practical aspects of this research and its results it is possible to improve upon Taiwan's existing programs, laws and regulations in regards to its Disaster Prevention and Relief Plan.
