Interior minister Lin Yu-chang (林右昌) says the exam for firefighting recruits may need to be modified in order to meet the staffing needs of many departments. Lin addressed the issue during a committee hearing in the legislature on Wednesday.
Lin says that staffing requirements for fire departments throughout Taiwan have increased due to recent regulations. He says that currently, however, less than half of those applying to become firefighters make it through the application process. Lin says that if the numbers remain too low, the qualification exam may need to be changed.
The hearing comes after a deadly fire at a factory in Pingtung over the weekend resulted in the deaths of at least nine people including four firefighters. Lin says that all firefighters who died in the line of duty will be enshrined at the National Revolutionary Martyrs' Shrine in Taipei. Lin adds that the families of the deceased firefighters will each receive a death benefit of NT$28 million (US$870,000).
Lin was also asked about the implementation of firefighting robots. He says that due to the high cost of the robots, only six municipalities and counties currently use the machines. However, Lin says he hopes to allocate funds to allow their implementation across Taiwan.
When asked if he supports the formation of a firefighter's labor union, Lin said that he supports the right of civil servants such as firefighters to free association. However, Lin says the general consensus is that firefighters will be better served having a specialized association within the larger National Civil Servant Association. Lin adds that the benefits and protections of the association are even more significant than those of a labor union.
According to the Civil Servant Association Act, civil servant associations are prohibited from engaging in strikes or other work stoppages and may not participate in political activities.