Changhua Takes the Lead in Taiwan’s International Humanitarian Rescue Rotation

Changhua is taking its turn in Taiwan’s international humanitarian rescue rotation. The county’s search-and-rescue team will assume standby duties in September and October, ready to deploy whenever the central government calls after a major disaster at home or overseas.

The Changhua County Fire Bureau passed the national NAP search-and-rescue capability assessment in March last year. It is one of three certified teams among cities and counties in central Taiwan, and the certification has now led to the international rotation assignment.

To prepare, the bureau placed its entire operation on standby and held a pre-rotation mobilization exercise and communications test. The first test involved 30 people from several fields, including police and volunteer firefighters, medical personnel, and civil and structural engineering specialists.

The bureau said rescue teams must make the most of the critical window after a disaster. It described the rotation system as a way for trained personnel to work in succession and bring their greatest search-and-rescue capacity to emergencies as quickly as possible. Training and preparation, it said, will determine whether the team can deliver when lives are at stake.