The Interior Ministry is strengthening disaster preparedness efforts by expanding training for disaster response officers, aiming to reach 100,000 trained personnel by the end of the year.
During a Legislative Interior Affairs Committee meeting on Tuesday, Deputy Interior Minister Ma Shih-yuan (馬士元) said the ministry is collaborating with other agencies to enhance training efforts. This includes giving taxi drivers and building managers specialized disaster response training under a dedicated program.
National Fire Agency (NFA) Director General Hsiao Huan-chang (蕭煥章) says 42,000 disaster response specialists were trained by the end of 2024. This year, the program is expanding to include active, retired, and reserve troops, aiming for 100,000 trained specialists by the end of 2025. The NFA is also collaborating with local governments, ensuring that each city and county trains at least 300 disaster responders annually through public registration.
Ma says the disaster training covers 22 types of emergencies, focusing on self-rescue and mutual aid. While professional rescue operations remain the responsibility of specialized agencies, trained disaster response specialists play a crucial role in identifying hazards and facilitating evacuations.