Taichung Indigenous Special Search and Rescue Team Established, Combining Mountain Wisdom to Safeguard Hiking Safety

Taichung City Government continues to strengthen its mountain rescue capabilities. The Fire Bureau has established the 'Taichung City Indigenous Area Special Search and Rescue Team,' integrating generations of indigenous mountain wisdom with modern search and rescue technology to build a mountain rescue system that combines local experience with professional expertise. This initiative aims to enhance disaster response capabilities in Heping District and surrounding mountainous areas, safeguarding the lives of indigenous residents and hikers alike, and ensuring that those most familiar with the mountains become the most reliable guardians of the highlands.

The Fire Bureau notes that Heping District is the only indigenous administrative area in Taichung City, encompassing renowned mountain regions such as Xueshan (Snow Mountain), Daxueshan (Great Snow Mountain), and Guanxi, along with numerous Baiyue (100 Peaks) and mid-level mountain trails. In recent years, hiking activities have grown increasingly popular, leading to a continuous rise in rescue cases involving getting lost, falls, rockfalls, and natural disasters. To address this, the city government has established the Indigenous Special Rescue Team (Indigenous Special Search and Rescue Team). All members are from various tribes within Heping District, possessing not only rich mountain living experience but also having completed both basic and advanced professional training. In the future, under the command of fire authorities, they will assist in mountain incident search and rescue, disaster situation reporting, evacuation, and initial disaster response, significantly improving mountain rescue efficiency.

The Fire Bureau highlights that many members of the Indigenous Special Rescue Team have already participated in actual disaster relief operations. During a recent rockfall incident in Heping District’s Butterfly Valley, several team members collaborated with firefighters in the rescue effort. Leveraging their deep familiarity with mountain terrain and road conditions, they assisted in personnel guidance, equipment resupply, and on-site rescue support, demonstrating the effectiveness of the team’s 'prepared in peacetime, ready in crisis' establishment principle. This incident validated that the Indigenous Special Rescue Team is gradually becoming a vital force in mountain rescue operations within Heping District.

The Fire Bureau shares that Li Chen Xinde, the team’s captain, is a native of Heping District and a lifelong member of the indigenous community. Having grown up traversing mountains with his parents, he has been involved in mountain rescue for over 40 years and has participated in more than a thousand search and rescue missions. He was involved in major disaster responses such as the 921 earthquake and the 72 Water Disaster, personally witnessing the devastating impacts of disasters and deeply understanding the importance of terrain familiarity and timely rescue. As a result, he has rallied more tribal members to join mountain rescue efforts, aiming to pass on his decades of experience to protect both his hometown and every visitor entering the mountains.

Additionally, Deputy Captain Zhang Honghui is a former firefighter who participated in major rescue operations including the Xintianlun Power Plant explosion, the 921 earthquake, and the 72 Water Disaster. After retirement, he returned to his hometown to continue public service. By combining professional firefighting expertise with tribal community strength, the Fire Bureau has established a rescue team that is both professionally capable and deeply rooted in local culture. This enables indigenous communities to have more immediate and reliable self-rescue capabilities during disasters and provides hikers with an added layer of safety when exploring Taichung’s mountainous areas.

Going forward, the city government will continue to conduct regular training, professional drills, and inter-agency collaboration, gradually expanding the Indigenous Special Rescue Team’s structure. The city will also integrate the disaster prevention officer system and local disaster preparedness resources to continuously strengthen indigenous communities’ autonomous disaster prevention and mountain rescue capabilities. The goal is to build a mountain safety network that blends local characteristics with professional competence, protecting both indigenous residents and every individual who ventures into Taichung’s mountain landscapes.