TAIPEI (TVBS News) — On a busy Tuesday (June 1) morning at Taiwan's biggest international gateway, Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) launched an ambitious program transforming the island's taxi drivers into first responders. The inaugural training session at Taoyuan International Airport's (桃園國際機場) Terminal 2 marks a significant expansion of Taiwan's civilian disaster response network, preparing everyday drivers to serve as critical emergency personnel during the island's frequent natural disasters.
Minister Liu revealed that Taiwan has already certified over 50,000 citizens with disaster relief licenses and aims to double that number before December. The collaborative effort between Taoyuan City Government and Taoyuan International Airport Corporation (桃園國際機場股份有限公司) represents a significant expansion of Taiwan's emergency response capacity. The program embodies traditional Taiwanese values of community resilience, emphasizing three core principles explicitly mentioned by officials: self-help during emergencies, mutual assistance among neighbors, and coordinated public response systems.
The ceremony brought together key figures in Taiwan's emergency response infrastructure, including Yang Wei-fu (楊偉甫), chairman of Taoyuan International Airport Corporation , alongside National Fire Agency Director Hsiao Huan-chang (蕭煥章) and Taoyuan City Fire Department Chief Kung Yung-hsin (龔永信). Minister Liu highlighted Taiwan's geographic vulnerability to natural disasters, specifically mentioning earthquakes and typhoons that regularly affect the island. These environmental realities, she explained, make civilian disaster preparedness an essential component of national resilience.
Taiwan's Interior Ministry has systematically expanded its disaster preparedness network beyond professional emergency services, creating specialized training programs for security personnel, residential building committees, and now the island's taxi fleet. The comprehensive curriculum covers crucial emergency response skills including basic medical intervention, efficient disaster reporting protocols, and evacuation procedures. Upon completion, taxi drivers receive a distinctive "Disaster Relief Volunteer and CPR+AED Trained" badge — a visible symbol that transforms ordinary vehicles into mobile emergency response units throughout Taiwan's urban centers.
Minister Liu emphasized that the disaster preparedness program serves the dual purpose of enhancing emergency response knowledge while fulfilling broader social responsibilities. The training represents Taiwan's practical approach to disaster management, focusing on education and community involvement. Looking ahead, the Interior Ministry and National Fire Agency plan to expand these initiatives further, integrating disaster preparedness training with corporate social responsibility programs across various sectors of Taiwan's economy. ◼