Taitung "Indigenous Special Search and Rescue Team" Formed, 35 Warriors Become Guardians Against Disasters in Indigenous Areas

(CNA, Taitung County, June 30) In response to extreme weather and complex disasters, and to prevent remote tribal communities from becoming isolated during emergencies, the Taitung County Fire Department's Indigenous Special Search and Rescue Team was officially formed today. County Magistrate Rao Qing-ling presented the team flag, announcing that 35 indigenous warriors will shoulder the primary response mission in indigenous townships.

The Taitung County Fire Department stated that the Ministry of the Interior is assisting 12 indigenous counties and cities in establishing indigenous special search and rescue teams. The 35 members in Taitung have completed 20 hours of rigorous training in mountain and water rescue, and emergency medical care.

Today, Taitung County Council Speaker Wu Xiu-hua presented the indigenous warriors with their qualification badges, followed by Magistrate Rao Qing-ling's presentation of the team flag, marking the official formation. The 35 team members normally serve in seven volunteer fire brigades in Haiduan, Yanping, Jinfeng, Dawu, Nanwang, Fengtian, and Lanyu. In emergencies such as typhoons, they can leverage their familiarity with the local terrain and indigenous knowledge for timely response.

Taitung County Fire Department Chief Lu Dong-fa pointed out that to provide the strongest support for volunteer firefighters, the county government and fire department have actively sought central government resources and allocated self-raised funds. In line with the National Fire Agency's "Resilient Taiwan" mid-term plan, new protective clothing, helmets, shoes, air respirator components, personal first-aid kits (tourniquets), and specialized personal equipment for mountain and water operations are being procured annually. These advanced pieces of equipment will be prioritized for distribution based on actual combat needs, thoroughly addressing equipment gaps in grassroots combat capabilities, ensuring zero gaps in protective equipment, and comprehensively safeguarding the lives of frontline disaster relief personnel.

Rao Qing-ling stated that Taitung has a long and narrow terrain with high mountains and deep valleys, and mountain rescue or river tracing drowning incidents are not uncommon. Rescues often involve racing against the clock to save lives. Indigenous youth are physically strong and possess advantages in local knowledge and terrain familiarity. These 35 elite volunteer firefighters, who have undergone strict training meeting the standards of the Ministry of the Interior's National Fire Agency, have all passed high-standard specialized physical examinations for high-altitude operations. They are truly a nationally certified "guardian spirit" for indigenous areas. (Editor: Chen Ren-hua) 1150630

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