The Taichung City Government today passed the "Draft Ordinance on Managing Mountaineering Activities," which will be submitted to the city council for review. In the future, the public will be prohibited from forcibly entering mountains during typhoons. Otherwise, in the event of a mountaineering accident, the public will be charged for search and rescue costs beyond insurance compensation.
The Taichung City Fire Department stated that according to this ordinance, Taichung will designate areas as either "general control" or "special control mountain zones." When engaging in mountaineering activities in these two types of areas, individuals must carry positioning devices such as GPS units or GPS-enabled smartphones, as well as communication equipment for emergencies, such as satellite phones, mobile phones, or radios.
If the mountaineering activity involves special control mountain zones, it must be led by a team leader who should possess basic emergency medical response capabilities and hold relevant certifications such as Basic Life Support certification or Emergency Medical Technician credentials. They must also have comprehensive mountain insurance coverage. Violations may result in fines ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000.
Additionally, the ordinance specifies that when the Central Weather Bureau issues a sea typhoon warning, the city government can announce restricted zones. If the public forcibly enters the mountains or delays evacuation, they may be fined between NT$10,000 and NT$50,000. If an accident occurs and the Taichung City Government must conduct a rescue, the rescued individuals may be billed afterward for necessary expenses exceeding insurance compensation, such as dispatch fees and the rental of rescue equipment or vehicles.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung stated that the "Taichung City Mountaineering Activity Management Ordinance" is a pioneering move. The fire department has extensively gathered opinions from various sectors over the past few months and conducted thorough discussions. Although some have raised concerns during the process, communication has clarified that the goal is not to impose additional financial burdens on mountaineers.
As current insurance providers require a minimum of five people to purchase mountain insurance, he also instructed the fire department to actively communicate with the Financial Supervisory Commission to discuss amendments, aiming to remove the five-person limit and increase emergency rescue payment amounts.
Lin Chia-lung said that the ordinance’s provision for rescued individuals to bear search and rescue costs reflects the user-pays principle, which he believes the public will support. He explained that mountaineers who disregard the safety of rescue personnel and force their way into the mountains waste national resources. Moreover, as Taichung’s mountainous areas border neighboring counties and cities, he hopes that nearby regions such as Yilan, Nantou, and Miaoli will also establish similar regulations. 1050606
(CNA)