“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in social welfare programs!” Recently, a hiker on Yuanduozhi Mountain in Heping District suffered a swollen and twisted ankle that left them unable to walk. The fire department dispatched a helicopter for the rescue, but it was later discovered that the hiker could still walk, sparking public controversy. The Taichung City Government plans to draft the “Taichung City Mountain Hiking Activity Management Self-Government Ordinance,” aiming to reduce the waste of national rescue resources by regulating hikers’ climbing times and mandating insurance.
Fire Chief Xiao Huanzhang stated that the “Taichung City Mountain Hiking Activity Management Self-Government Ordinance” will require legally permitted entry into mountains and parks, mandating the carrying of satellite positioning and communication equipment. Hikers should be prepared for self-rescue, and team leaders must have basic first aid capabilities.
Hiking permits will no longer be issued when typhoons are approaching, and those already in the mountains will be required to descend in advance to prevent rescue personnel from carrying out search and rescue missions under dangerous weather and environmental conditions.
Xiao Huanzhang pointed out that through the ordinance, a mountain hiking insurance system will be established. This insurance mechanism will hire more professional mountain rescue personnel to assist in search and rescue missions and cover expenses such as helicopter dispatches, preventing the public from arbitrarily requesting helicopter evacuations and wasting national resources. The mountain hiking insurance system will be incorporated into the ordinance, and it is recommended that the central government amend relevant regulations on mountain hiking insurance.