->In line with the World First Aid Day (WFAD), the National Fire Agency (NFA) commended 69 outstanding medical care personnel to show “deep gratitude” to them.

In order to thank the medical doctors and medical care personnel for their hard and selfless dedication, the National Fire Agency (NFA) held the "2024 Commendation Ceremony for Outstanding Fire Services and Rescue Care Personnel" today (on 2024/09/09). As pointed out by Director-General HSIAO Huan-Chang, the awards this year included "Life Saver" , "First Aid Spirit", "Midwife Expert", "Rescue Care Master", "Group Performance", and "Special Excellence (Individual and Team)", which were handed out to a total of 69 outstanding rescue care personnel and their teams, including 9 "Medical Consultant Physicians" who were awarded with “Significant Contribution to Fire Services”, as recommended by the National Fire Agency (NFA), and 16 “Senior Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (EMTPs)” who were awarded with “Senior Contribution to Medical Rescue Care” for having been actively serving for 20+ years on the frontline of rescue care service.

Explained by Director-General HSIAO Huan-Chang, due to the aging society and the needs for acute and severe diseases, Taiwan emergency rescue care system has attached great importance to, and has indeed achieved outstanding results in, the pre-hospital emergency treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), myocardial infarction, and acute stroke (cerebral apoplexy). However, in the context of an aging society with a declining birthrate, the challenges faced by rescue care personnel have been far more than the advancement of rescue technology. The cultivation of non-technical skills has been equally important. In every rescue operation, attention should be paid to not only bettering the first aid treatment, but also bettering the communication with the injured and the ill, as good communication could help rescue care personnel make more accurate assessments, and empathy could make patients and their caregivers (accompanist) feel warm and safe, thereby gaining psychological support. Therefore, this year’s Rescue Care Week was themed on "Deep Gratitude", it was hoped that fellows in the rescue care circle could jointly support the themed mindset, giving helping hand with warmth and rendering caring words with solicitude during duty performance.

At today's Commendation Ceremony, Director-General HSIAO specially issued Certificates of Gratitude to foundations and societies that have long supported the promotion of fire services and rescue care work. Among them, LIN Yu-Lin HONGTAI CHARITY TRUST has donated 394 sets of automatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation machines since 2017, entered into a Memorandum of Cooperation with the National Fire Agency (NFA) in 2022 to promote a three-year EMTP Training Plan, and further supported an Education and Training Quality Refinement Project this year (2024), where such efforts were expected to train up 140 rescue care instructors within three years to help enhance the quality of rescue care education and training. Ms. SHEN Hui-Juan, CEO of LIN Yu-Lin HONGTAI CHARITY TRUST was present at the ceremony to accept the trophy of gratitude and express her deep respect for the fire service heroes.

As per Director-General HSIAO, in order to honor and inspire rescue care personnel and to allow the public to better understand, cherish, and further participate in emergency rescue care services, the National Fire Agency (NFA) has specially put together an information website for the 2024 Rescue Care Week (see https://www.emsweek.nfa.gov.tw/), where the website was closely tied to the principal axle “Joint Celebration” of the Rescue Care Week. It was hoped that the public would recognize and support the rescue care personnel's hard work and dedication to the community.

Group photo – Thanks to all the fire services and rescue care personnel for the effort made.

Director-General HSIAO Huan-Chang of the National Fire Agency (NFA) presented a trophy of gratitude to Ms. SHEN Hui-Juan, CEO of LIN Yu-Lin HONGTAI CHARITY TRUST.

Medical Consultation Contribution Award” – dedicated to those physicians who have devoted themselves to medical consulting for 10+ years.

Senior Contribution to Medical Rescue Care Award – dedicated to those “Senior Emergency Medical Technician - Paramedic (EMTPs)” for having been actively serving for 20+ years on the frontline of rescue care service.