In a bid to integrate the nation's airborne rescue and transportation services, the Cabinet is set to establish an airborne rescue command.
According to a Cabinet official who asked not to be named, the command will facilitate rescue efforts, police patrols and other transportation on water and land.
The command's preparatory office is slated for inauguration on March 1, the official said.
"Take a forest fire as an example: The commanding officer at the scene would no longer have to request an airlift from various units. Instead he will be able to do so using the airborne rescue command," the official said.
The nation's airborne rescue teams include the National Fire Administration's airborne fire brigade, the National Police Administration's airborne police patrol, the Civil Aeronautics Administration's airborne unit, the Coast Guard Administration's airborne reconnaissance unit and the army's search and rescue unit.
Operations not relating to air rescue formerly undertaken by these organizations, such as transporting patients and air traffic patrol, would be contracted out to the private sector, the official added.
The new command, which will fall under the jurisdiction of the interior ministry, will have four divisions with a total staff of over 200 people.
The rescue command will have four sub-commands in northern, central, southern and eastern Taiwan.
The command center will be located at Sungshan Airport in Taipei.
Secondary bases will be located at Taichung County's Shuinan Airport, Pingtung Airport, Taitung Airport and Hualien Airport.
The Cabinet is hoping that the legislature will give the final plan the go-ahead by the end of next year.
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