The Ministry of the Interior has asked agencies to change regulations on access to mountainous areas, and might consider a user-pays system to curb irresponsible behavior, the ministry said on Sunday.
Multiple accidents have occurred, with inadequately equipped hikers needing to be airlifted to safety by National Airborne Service helicopters. In one case, the rescue of a single hiking group required three separate helicopter trips to evacuate 24 people. In an incident that that occurred in February, a hiker entered a mountainous area without the required permit and then needed a helicopter rescue after injuring his toe.
Hikers often lack safety awareness and engage in behavior that contravenes the National Park Act (國家公園法), and local regulations on mountaineering activities and mountain rescue management, the ministry said.
Photo courtesy of Nantou County Fire Bureau
To address the issue, the ministry said it has tasked the National Park Service, the National Fire Agency and the National Airborne Service Corps to devise new measures regarding national park access and mountain rescues.
The measures would potentially include the introduction of a user-pays mechanism, mountaineering safety education, and new regulations related to rescue operation dispatch, mountaineering insurance, mountain area management and mountaineering activity, the ministry said, adding that new penalties for contraventions would also be introduced.
A cross-ministerial meeting would be convened at the Executive Yuan to refine the measures after they are drafted, it said.
The National Park Service would take measures to enhance park entry management and services, including developing a mobile app for park visitors, the ministry said.
The app would provide push notifications with the latest weather updates, trail maps, a feature to mark themselves “safe” during inclement weather or disasters, earthquake evacuation information and educational graphics on mountaineering safety, it said.
The app would also automatically transmit hikers’ coordinates to a safety monitoring platform at regular intervals, enabling quicker rescue based on the latest location in case of accidents, it added.
Those who make arbitrary route changes, camp illegally, engage in behaviors that compromise mountaineering safety or waste resources could face a ban from applying for park access for up to three years, the ministry said.
“The aim of the penalty is to encourage responsible mountaineering and reduce accidents,” it said. “While public access to the mountains is important to encourage connection with nature, openness does not mean negligence.”
Hikers should demonstrate a respect for nature and an understanding of safety considerations, the ministry said.
“We urge hikers to carefully plan their trips, assess safety risks, prepare proper equipment, accurately register their mountain entry information and maintain communication with contacts back home,” it said.
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