TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) announced on Monday (Jan. 13) that the government has fulfilled its 2019 initiative to bolster firefighter numbers by adding 3,000 personnel by 2023. The plan will continue until 2028, aiming to recruit another 3,000 firefighters to enhance disaster response capabilities.
During a ceremony at the Presidential Office to honor the recipients of the "2024 Phoenix Awards" (鳳凰獎楷模), President Lai expressed his gratitude to all involved in fire safety and disaster prevention. He stated, "Every individual in the firefighting field is a crucial force in protecting the lives, property, and social safety of the nation."
President Lai highlighted the achievements of Wu Guan-yuan (吳貫遠), a professor at Central Police University (中央警察大學), who has dedicated over 30 years to fire safety education and research. Wu's work includes translating a Japanese authoritative text on building fire safety engineering in 2023, which President Lai said helps integrate Taiwan into global disaster prevention research.
The president emphasized the shared mission of enhancing societal resilience against various threats, from authoritarian expansion to climate change. He remarked that "a safer Taiwan contributes to a safer world, making the Taiwanese people more secure."
