| URN | etd-0724126-101825 | Statistics | This thesis had been viewed 6 times. Download 0 times. |
| Author | Shih-Ming Liu | ||
| Author's Email Address | No Public. | ||
| Department | Institute of construction technology | ||
| Year | 2025 | Semester | 2 |
| Degree | Master | Type of Document | Master's Thesis |
| Language | zh-TW.Big5 Chinese | Page Count | 81 |
| Title | A Study on Firefighters' Emergency Medical Services for Highly Infectious and Rare Diseases in Taiwan | ||
| Keyword | |||
| Abstract | With advances in medical technology and increasingly refined disease classification systems, the number of patients with rare diseases in Taiwan has continued to rise. Currently, more than 200 rare diseases have been officially registered, affecting approximately 20,000 individuals. Due to the complex nature of these conditions, atypical clinical presentations, and heavy reliance on medical assistive devices, frontline firefighters often face significant challenges when responding to emergencies involving rare disease patients. Insufficient patient information, unfamiliarity with specialized equipment, and the lack of standardized response protocols contribute to a high level of operational risk. Although firefighters play a critical role in disaster response and emergency medical services, the current system does not provide adequate support, thereby limiting the effectiveness and safety of managing cases involving highly contagious diseases and rare disorders. This study employed literature analysis, policy review, in-depth interviews, and case studies to examine the response procedures and hazard assessment practices of Taiwanˇ¦s fire service system when dealing with highly contagious diseases and rare disease cases. The findings identified five major issues within the current system. First, chronic shortages of firefighting personnel have placed excessive workloads on frontline responders. Second, there is a lack of dedicated standard operating procedures (SOPs) tailored to the unique characteristics of rare diseases. Third, firefighters receive insufficient training in the recognition of rare disease symptoms and the operation of specialized medical equipment. Fourth, the absence of an integrated coordination mechanism among fire services, healthcare institutions, and public health authorities has resulted in information silos. Fifth, ambiguities regarding occupational safety protections and legal liability expose firefighters to additional risks during emergency response operations. Based on the research findings, this study proposes five major recommendations: addressing the issue of insufficient manpower, developing standardized response SOPs for rare disease cases, strengthening firefightersˇ¦ training in medical knowledge and specialized equipment operation, establishing an emergency information-sharing platform for highly contagious disease and rare disease patients, promoting interagency collaboration and data sharing, and enhancing occupational safety protections and legal safeguards for firefighters. Through institutionalized and professionalized reforms, these measures are expected to improve the efficiency and safety of emergency responses involving rare disease patients, while strengthening the resilience of Taiwanˇ¦s overall public safety and emergency medical service systems. |
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| Advisor Committee | |||
| Files | indicate access worldwide | ||
| Date of Defense | 2026-07-08 | Date of Submission | 2026-07-25 |