Mountaineering parties in Taichung must have at least one member with at minimum emergency medical technician (EMT) beginner’s certification, or face a fine, the Taichung Fire Bureau said over the weekend.
An EMT-1 beginner certificate can be obtained by undergoing 45 hours of training, which costs about NT$6,000, at a specialized civil organization, including the Taiwan Emergency Medical Technician Association and the Red Cross Society of Taichung, the bureau said.
The course includes assessments of injury response — including in cases of vertebral injuries — CPR, wound dressing, and tourniquet and automated external defibrillator use, as well as proper methods to transport injured people, it said.
Photo courtesy of the Taichung Fire Bureau
People who complete the training must pass a written exam that covers real-life situations and techniques, it said.
EMT-1 certification is also required for people on solo outings on trails that a local government has placed restrictions on — meaning approval is required to hike them, the bureau said.
Groups found without a member with at least EMT-1 certification, as well as individuals on such trails without the qualification, would be fined and have to pay for all expenses in case of a rescue operation, it said.
Complaints have arisen over people using rescue helicopters as if it were a “taxi service,” the bureau said, citing incidents in which hikers required assistance after entering mountain trails without a certified guide or started a trip despite government warnings about an approaching typhoon.
The Taichung Mountain Hiking Management Law Statute (台中市登山活動管理自治條例) was promulgated in 2016, which includes the provision that hikers on government-restricted trails must meet the EMT-1 conditions.
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