To boost Taichung's emergency response capabilities, the Fire Bureau of the Taichung City Government has launched the three-year Enhancement Plan for Emergency Medical Capacity in Greater Taichung, with robust backing from Mayor Lu Hsiu-yen and the city government. This plan involves three stages of advanced paramedic training, procurement of advanced medical equipment, and establishment of paramedic training facilities, aiming to elevate the quality of various aspects of emergency medical services provided in Taichung and ensure more efficient emergency response on-site. This effort not only raises the city's emergency medical prowess to new heights by adding 36 advanced paramedics but also promises improved and swifter medical assistance for the general public.
The Fire Bureau noted that on January 8, the Ministry of Health and Welfare officially announced that all participants in the 2023 Taichung City Advanced Paramedic Training Program had passed their exams successfully. This training program lasted for a total of 1320 hours. The Bureau expressed deep appreciation for the commitment shown by the trainees during their training period, the invaluable guidance provided by instructors and doctors, the thoughtful curriculum planning by hospitals, and the intensive training sessions leading up to the exams. As a result of these efforts, Taichung now has 36 additional highly-skilled paramedics.
The Fire Bureau also noted that advanced paramedics go beyond executing advanced life-saving techniques for cases like cardiac arrest, heart attacks, strokes, severe injuries, and asthma emergencies; they also play essential roles in education, training, and quality control. Additionally, they are a pivotal link between pre-hospital emergency care and medical treatment within hospitals, ensuring a better prognosis for critically ill patients, or even their survival.
The Fire Bureau added that they had organized three sessions of advanced paramedic training for 3 consecutive years from 2022 to 2024. All 30 trainees in 2022 and all 36 trainees in 2023 successfully passed their exams. Therefore, the number of advanced paramedics in Taichung City, including those transferred from other areas, has risen from 125 to 195, contributing to Taichung’s ranking increasing to fourth place among the six major municipalities. For 2024, 44 individuals will be trained, with expectations that by 2025, including transfers, the total number could surpass 240, further elevating the ranking.
Additionally, as advanced paramedic staff and advanced medical equipment have improved, the Fire Bureau has seen notable success in OHCA cases. In 2022, the success rate for emergency medical response was 32.87%, with 120 individuals discharged after recovery. By 2023, this rate had risen to 35.56%, with 150 individuals discharged after recovery. The Bureau anticipates that the influx of new talent will further enhance Taichung's emergency medical response capabilities and continue to safeguard people's lives and property.