In recent years, the number of mountain rescue incidents in Hualien has risen sharply, increasing from 12 cases five years ago to 42 last year. This has exhausted search and rescue personnel, while the costs of these rescues have been “borne by the public.” Hualien County has drafted its own “Mountain Self-Governance Ordinance,” which is expected to be submitted to the council for its third reading in April. Under the proposed rules, individuals who fail to comply with regulations when climbing will be responsible for their own rescue expenses.
To reduce the occurrence of mountain accidents and minimize the waste of rescue resources, Hualien County Government today passed the “Hualien County Mountain Activities Management Self-Governance Ordinance” during a county government meeting. The ordinance includes 16 regulatory provisions, requiring hikers to follow an approved climbing plan when entering regulated mountain areas, carry communication devices with positioning capabilities, be led by professional guides, and purchase comprehensive mountain insurance.
Fire Bureau Director Lin Wen-rui said that Hualien is home to numerous high mountains and famous peaks, with many popular climbing routes. There are roughly 43 mountains over 3,000 meters in elevation within the county. In recent years, Taichung and Nantou have successively passed mountain ordinances, and Hualien is also formulating relevant regulations to prevent incidents such as people “climbing unregulated mountains” or entering without proper authorization and subsequently requesting police or firefighter rescues.
According to statistics from the Hualien County Fire Bureau, the number of mountain rescue incidents has risen steadily since 12 cases in 2011, increasing from 29 in 2013 to 42 last year. Each mountain rescue operation is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Deploying an air rescue helicopter for just one trip requires 600,000 NTD in fuel alone, not to mention the overtime pay for ground search and rescue personnel, insurance costs, and subsequent medical expenses.
With frequent mountain rescue missions every year, not only are significant human and material resources wasted, but the already overstretched police, volunteer firefighters, and rescue workers are also exhausted, increasing risks for the rescuers. Recently, the Hualien Fire Bureau conducted a 18-day rescue operation for a missing hiker, Mr. Lee, on Erzi Mountain, deploying over 400 personnel and costing approximately 21 million NTD. The operation also resulted in one death and three injuries, making it a very costly mission.
Lin Wen-rui explained that according to the ordinance, individuals who fail to obtain insurance or enter during weather-related restrictions may face fines of up to 50,000 NTD. In the event of an emergency, responsibility will fall on the individual, who will be required to cover all rescue-related expenses. He urged the public to recognize that mountain trails are unpredictable and fraught with hidden risks, so thorough preparation is essential before any trek.
(China Times)