Government resolved to further replenish firefighting manpower: Lai

Taipei, Jan. 13 (CNA) The government is determined to continue replenishing the manpower of Taiwan's firefighting force as part of an ongoing five-year program after having achieved the first-phase target in 2023, President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) said Monday.

The government succeeded in recruiting 3,000 firefighters from 2019 to 2023 and will recruit another 3,000 from 2024 to 2028, Lai said at a meeting with the recipients of the 2024 Phoenix Awards honoring outstanding firefighters at the Presidential Office.

The president praised and paid tribute to Taiwan's firefighters, volunteers and educators for their efforts and sacrifices in the field, describing them as the ultimate pillar protecting people's lives and property.

One of them was Central Police University professor Wu Guan-yuan, (吳貫遠), one of this year's Phoenix Awards recipients, whom Lai lauded for his more than 30 years of research and teaching on fighting fires, which he said has helped Taiwan enhance its disaster relief capabilities.

Strengthening whole-of-society resilience is a common goal of all of Taiwan's people because of the threats arising from the expansion of authoritarianism, climate change and natural catastrophes, Lai said.

The strides Taiwan has made in boosting its resilience since receiving assistance from around the world after the deadly Sept. 21, 1999 earthquake has positioned it to be able to help other countries, Lai said, and he looked to further strengthen Taiwan's disaster prevention and relief system in the future.