A committee charged with creating Taiwan's first air fire brigade was formed yesterday in an attempt to come to grips with deficiencies in the nation's system for firefighting.
Formed under the auspices of the National Fire Administration, the committee is to establish the new air fire brigade within four years. Middle and eastern Taiwan are due for attention in the first two years, with 54 firefighters to be assigned to serve in these regions. Northern and southern Taiwan will be dealt with during the third and fourth years, with 119 firefighters to be assigned to serve in those locations.
The brigade will be allocated 20 UH-1H and three B-234 helicopters, which will be sent from the military.
Taiwan's lack of a satisfactory air rescue capability has been a long-running problem.
In July of last year, for example, four workers carrying out riverbed construction work in Pachang Creek were surrounded by a quickly rising torrent.
The four stood in the center of the river for three hours, waiting for a rescue helicopter that never came and were finally washed away -- in sight of family members and helpless would-be rescuers on the riverbank.
Yesterday, a fire in central Taiwan continued to rage after burning for more than 30 hours, engulfing over 80 hectares of forest.
Rough terrain and strong winds slowed the efforts of more than 200 firefighters as the blaze headed toward Lishan (梨山) mountain in Shei-pa National Park (雪霸國家公園), a popular tourist destination 200km south of Taipei.
The National Fire Administration hopes that the new air fire brigades will improve the nation's emergency response to these and similar calamities.
RSS