Changhua to Spend NT$26 Million on 4 Rescue Robots Amid Fire Concerns

In response to a series of significant fires at factories and recycling plants, the Changhua County Fire Bureau announced plans to enhance its rescue capabilities by acquiring four new disaster response robots. This move comes after recent incidents in Fuxing, Lukang, Dacheng, and Beidou highlighted the dangers faced by firefighters in high-temperature environments with flammable materials.

The bureau stated that it will invest NT$26 million to purchase the four robots, with the acquisition expected by 2028. These new additions will bring the total number of rescue robots in the county to ten, distributed across five major brigades. Currently, Changhua County operates six such robots.

During a meeting with the Democratic Progressive Party's caucus in the county council, officials addressed concerns about equipment. The caucus had urged the county government to prioritize simple-to-operate rescue robots over complex, expensive equipment, and to ensure each fire station is equipped with one. They also called for improvements in radio dead zones, the replacement of expired firefighting gear, and wider distribution of thermal imagers.

The Fire Bureau clarified that the county's 32 fire stations are already equipped with 117 thermal imagers, averaging two to five units per station. Furthermore, all 651 frontline firefighters have been provided with two sets of protective gear each, with an additional 245 sets available as backups. Communication systems have also been upgraded, with 100% coverage for portable radios, supported by multiple relay stations and mobile equipment.

Officials emphasized that the current technological rescue and personal protective equipment is adequate for frontline operations. The bureau plans to continue seeking central government subsidies and county budget support to further enhance and replace equipment as needed for future rescue missions.