Media Reports

April 28, 2002, Sunday

 Liberty Times, Formosa

Spectacular Inauguration of the
Amphibious Rescue Society
-- Rescue drills and helicopter evacuation

Liberty Times:Well-trained members of the Chinese Amphibious Rescue Association cross a river with ropes. (Photo by reporter Hsieh Wu-hsiung)

China Times: The inaugural ceremony of the Chinese Amphibious Rescue Association.

United Daily News: All members of this amphibious rescue team are pure vegetarians.

 

[Reporter Hsieh Wu-hsiung, Fuhsing] The Chinese Amphibious Rescue Association formed by a local civic group held its official inaugural ceremony under the Lofu Bridge in Fuhsing rural township yesterday. For this occasion, members of the Association performed a series of waterborne rescue exercises, many of which called for the use of difficult techniques such as vertical helicopter landing and rubber dinghy maneuvering through rapid waters to save people. Their brilliant performance greatly impressed many people frolicking in the nearby water.

The Chinese Amphibious Rescue Association was established independently by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, and is the first rescue team to be recognized by the National Fire Administration since Formosa's Disaster Prevention and Control Law was enacted. Yesterday's pre-flood amphibious rescue exercises were inspected by Director Hsieh Lu-chuan of the Taoyuan County Fire Department.

The drills included rescue rubber dinghies moving in formation, a vertical landing by a rescue helicopter, evacuation of victims by amphibious vehicles, saving people in rapid water through the use of rubber dinghies, vertical evacuation of victims, use of a rope-gun, setting up a rope-bridge over a valley or stream, vertical descent from great heights, and a display of advanced earthquake rescue equipment.

Among all the equipment on display, the most eye-catching was the "Supreme Master Ching Hai - Ocean of Love I," an amphibious rescue vehicle designed and developed by the Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association, based on many years of experience in rescue work. The rescue vehicle is designed to evacuate victims from flooded areas and transport them to safety without delay.

Note: The inaugural ceremony of the Chinese Amphibious Rescue Association and its amphibious rescue drills received extensive coverage in the three major Formosan newspapers. In addition, Formosa's four terrestrial television networks-Taiwan Television, China Television, Chinese Television, and Formosa Television, as well as cable TV networks such as TVBS-N, Sanlih Television, and Great Love Television, reported on the event in their evening news broadcasts.

Interesting video coverage of this event is available for viewing in serial No. 53 of the A Journey Through Aesthetic Realms television program at http://137.hichannel.com.tw (in Chinese).