Introduction

The Department, established on July 10, 1995, was previously known as the Fire Battalion under the Taipei City Police Department. The upgrade is significant that it is the first one in the country. In the beginning the Department consisted of 5 divisions (Fire Safety Control, Disaster Prevention, Disaster & Rescue, Fire Investigation, and Logistics), 2 centers (Training and Emergency Dispatch), 4 offices (Administrative Services, Personnel, Accounting, and Government Ethics), 3 rescue district HQs, and 9 fire battalions with jurisdiction over 41 fire stations, employing a total of 1,638 staffs.

In accordance with the amendment of the Disaster Prevention and Response Act and the National Fire Agency Organizational Statutes and to accommodate the needs of an increasingly complex metropolis, on February 6, 2004 the city government changed the name of "Fire Safety Control Division" and "Disaster Prevention Division" to "Fire Prevention Division" and "Disaster Management Division" respectively and established the Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance) Division, Inspector's Office, the fourth rescue district HQs, and 12 fire battalions for each of the 12 administrative districts. Total employees rose to 1,794.

Besides carrying out the three missions of "fire prevention" "rescue work" and "emergency first-aid" as stipulated in Article 1 of the Fire Act, the Department also provides other services, such as capturing bees and snakes. The promulgation of the Disaster Prevention and Response Act on July 19, 2000 established the Department's status as an assistant to the city government, offering advice on numerous types of disasters based on its extensive experience in disaster prevention and rescue work. The Department is committed to offering efficient services to make Taipei City a "safe and disaster-proof" place to live in.