->Presiding over the national fire chiefs' Expanded Operation Briefing, Minister LIU of the Interior (MOI) instructed to refine education and training to strengthen the disaster relief safety.

Today (on 2024/09/13) at the National Fire Agency (NFA), presiding over this year’s (2024) #3 national fire chiefs' Expanded Operation Briefing, Minister LIU Shyh-fang of the Interior (MOI) was briefed on the "4-layer 4-class Mechanism for Investigating Firefighters’ Casualties and its Progress", who reiterated that in view of the precious lives of every firefighting fellows, all firefighting agencies should learn and make progress from firefighter casualty cases and strengthen relevant education and training. Minister LIU instructed the National Fire Agency (NFA) and the Central Police University (CPU) to collect within one month the direction of advancing disaster relief education and training from Brigade Commanders of various firefighting units across the country, and propose the planning for future 16-hour on-the-job education training courses to be gradually implemented among the fire fighters at all levels in the future.

During the Briefing, Minister LIU specifically made effort in learning from Pingtung County Government Fire Department, Hsinchu City Government Fire Department, and Kaohsiung City Government Fire Department, about the fire at Mingyang Factory in Pingtung County, the Fire at Qingkonghui Building in Hsinchu City, and the fire on Dashun 3rd Road in Lingya District, Kaohsiung City, as well as the causes of the firefighter casualties. Emphasized by Minister LIU, all firefighting agencies should first ensure the safety of firefighters before they can protect the safety of others. Firefighting agencies were required to thoroughly conduct accident investigations, strengthen commanders’ education and training, and promote disaster relief safety for firefighters.

Recently, a photo has attracted public attention, which showed a firefighter, involved in the fire at Rongchang Theater in Chiayi County, kneeling down with one hand holding a water hose to cool himself down with water. Minister LIU specially made a connection with the hero in the photo, TSAI Shao-wen, Commander of Puzi Detachment of the Chiayi County Government Fire Department, to listen to the opinions of grassroot firefighting cadres. In response to the fatigue and sleepiness of firefighters resulting from long hours of disaster relief operations, the National Fire Agency (NFA) was requested to actively promote a medium-term program for 2025 – 2029 to subsidize all fire departments with the procurement of a total of 36 logistics supply vehicles, with the target of allocating at least one logistics supply vehicle to each fire department in respective counties and cities. The agency must allocate at least one logistics supply vehicle. Meanwhile, the NFA was requested to expand the planning and marshaling of auxiliary firefighters and fire staff with alternative military service background for logistics applications, which was expected to provide firefighters with more opportunities to rest and more logistics supplies and supports. As Minister LIU indicated, the abundant civil forces constituted a strong backup to the limited government power, who also appealed the appropriate use of resources donated by kindhearted people from all sectors of the society.

In addition, Minister LIU specially awarded the outstanding agencies in accordance with 2023 Independent Performance Evaluation of the Fire Services to commend the award-winning agencies for their efforts in promoting fire services; rewarded the National Fire Agency (NFA) to appreciate its activation of the Central Emergency Operations Center (CEOC) and efforts in response to Typhoon GAEMI and; as well as awarded the National Accreditation Process (NAP) certificates and badges to Fire Departments of Taoyuan City, Tainan City, and Kaohsiung City (in the category of heavy search and rescue team), and Hsinchu City and Hualien County (in the category of medium search and rescue team) to encourage them to join with the central government in future domestic and international humanitarian rescue missions with the spirit of "Taiwan can help". Moreover, Mr. CHANG Ru-Shan, Chairman of AIRLEE Medical Group, was also present in person at the Briefing to present bounty to the search and rescue teams for their contribution in disaster relief during the 0403 Hualien Earthquake, where the bounty was accepted by the representative of the attending special search and rescue teams. In return, Minister LIU also presented a certificate of appreciation to Chairman CHANG.

At last, Minister LIU appealed the central and local governments to join hands in enhancing the safety of firefighting and disaster relief, implementing education and training, and continuously advancing the safety of firefighting and disaster relief.

Minister LIU awarded certificates of performance along with rewards to the outstanding agencies (New Taipei City, Taichung City, and Kaohsiung City Governments) in accordance with 2023 Independent Performance Evaluation of the Fire Services

Group photo of Minister LIU with the search and rescue teams awarded with NAP certificates

Minister LIU presented a certificate of appreciation and to Chairman CHANG Ru-Shan of AIRLEE Medical Group.

Minister LIU awarded NAP certificates to fire department chiefs and badges to Commanders of special search and rescue teams of various fire departments.