Hsinchu Fire Bureau Responds to Criticism Over Use of Field Personnel for Damage Assessment Coordination

The New Power Party (NPP) caucus of the Hsinchu City Council recently criticized the Hsinchu City Fire Bureau for assigning field firefighters to act as coordinators following a gas explosion on Gaocui Road. The caucus argued this constitutes a misuse of human resources and hinders the Bureau’s primary mission of emergency response.

NPP caucus leader Lin Yen-fu stated that frontline firefighters reported being assigned to facilitate coordination between victims and renovation contractors, tasks involving photography and monitoring estimates that fall outside their professional scope. NPP councilors Liao Tzu-chi and Tsai Hui-ting emphasized that damage appraisal and administrative coordination should be handled by specialized third parties or relevant administrative departments, urging the Bureau to return its focus to firefighting and rescue operations.

In response, the Hsinchu City Fire Bureau stated that it is responsible for managing explosion-related incidents. To assist residents with recovery and relief, the Bureau provided initial coordination. The Bureau clarified that field personnel were deployed only during the early stages of damage assessment to accelerate the process. Subsequent inspections and technical appraisals are now handled by dedicated Bureau case officers, ensuring that frontline field personnel remain focused on their core mission of emergency rescue.