The Taipei County Government on Monday warned a brain-dead fireman's family not to remove him from his life-support machine, as doing so could violate the law.
Taipei County fireman Han Hung-yu (
Because doctors have said Han stands little chance of making a recovery, Han's family planned to take him back to their hometown in Kaohsiung County and remove the medical equipment from his body there.
critical aid
Without the life support equipment, doctors have said Han will die.
"Han's family should not end his life by doing this as it might be in violation of the law," said Taipei County Government law official Chen Kun-jung (
Han's family should reconsider their decision, added Chen.
The swimming instructors responsible for Han's condition lied after the incident, saying that Han drowned by himself during the training exercise, but last week a video recording made by other members of the training exercise was made public.
In the videotape Han was clearly pushed underwater several times by the two instructors, even though he appeared very weak and unable to breathe.
The fire department admit-ted that Han had jogged a distance of 8,000m and then swam 600m before he asked to take a rest.
But the instructors then forced Han to take the underwater test, the bureau added.
defense
The director of the county fire department Yen Chen-chia (顏振嘉) lost his job last Saturday over the incident, but he in-sisted that "tough" lifesaving training was necessary for fire-fighting personnel.
Yen had said the instructors did not tell the truth before the videotape was made public.
The county government on Monday said that Han's family would receive around NT$7 million (US$212,600) in compensation for Han's death.
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