消防局會議
今天，我和粘主任（Jen Nien）一起去了位於新北市新店的內政部消防署總部。消防署負責管理台灣的緊急醫療服務、消防和防災工作。消防署由署長領導，現任署長為葉啟堂。雖然與會議內容沒有直接關係，但我發現消防署的標誌很有趣。根據新聞報道，賴清德總統曾表示，消防局標誌上的鳳凰象徵浴火重生、勇氣和韌性。
此次會議有勞動部、數位產業管理局和經濟部標準局的代表參加。會議主要討論用於家庭烹飪、取暖和工業用途的液化石油氣鋼瓶（裝有丙烷和丁烷混合物的容器）的安全問題。在2025年全國非政府組織環境大會上，民間團體向賴清德總統提交了一份提案，建議立即在液化石油氣鋼瓶上安裝自動切斷裝置。
為了進一步防範風險，他們還提議修改方案，增加地震感測器、洩漏感測器和超時功能。我發現特別有趣的是，他們聲稱目前遵循的標準是基於日本的相關法規，並提及日本強制要求將這些燃氣容器放置在室外。這讓我不禁思考，即使在今天，日本殖民主義對台灣的官僚體系和政府的影響究竟有多大。
我初來台灣時，得知台灣儘管曾被日本殖民統治，卻依然對日本及其文化保持著友好親切的態度，這讓我感到非常欣慰。如今，所有新建建築都必須將液化石油氣容器放置在室外，並效法日本的做法。我還了解到，公共政策的一項重要功能是正確評估公共資源的使用是否能夠真正解決特定問題，以及公眾的接受度和反彈如何影響法律或政策的預期效果。
一位代表表示，他認為他們不應該按照「最低安全標準」運行，而應該以最低標準來衡量人的生命，我對此表示贊同。此前，曾有一項決定強制要求全面採用自動關閉閥，儘管一位代表聲稱，這些閥門並非萬能，僅在特定情況下發揮作用，大多數情況下並無區別。然而，這項決定後來被推翻，允許傳統氣瓶繼續存在。
業內人士最大的抱怨是性價比太低。這位代表聲稱，他們比任何人都更關心安全，並列舉瞭如果產品不安全將會引發的刑事案件、和解以及法律問題，他們不會故意拒絕更安全的解決方案。起初我對此持懷疑態度，因為在我的研究中，我遇到一些公司為了提高效率和利潤而忽略安全法規的情況。然而，他們的解釋很有道理。如果某些安全功能尚未被證明具有廣泛的有效性，則可以將其視為可選功能，供需要使用的用戶購買。這就是所謂的「雙軌制」折衷方案。在沒有正當理由的情況下利用法規限制消費者的選擇也會帶來問題。
我還發現一個很有趣的事實：台灣擁有全球最大的液化石油氣閥門製造商之一，產量約佔全球供應量的70%。出口到歐洲和美國的液化石油氣閥門必須配備安全裝置，但台灣國內市場則沒有這項要求。因此，不強制要求安裝安全裝置的原因之一就是法規。我從這些討論中了解到，某些我從未想過、也從未在日常生活中特別重視的規章制度，很可能是經過反覆討論，由來自不同背景的人們共同決定實施的結果。
我這輩子從未認真考慮過汽油罐，然而，這棟大樓裡的人們卻齊心協力，透過一種大多數人都不關注的機制來提高安全性。這些問題也並非輕易就能解決，因為他們已經就此話題討論了六年之久。即使是看似簡單易行的問題，最終也可能變得異常棘手。
Fire Department Meeting
Today, Director Jen Nien and I visited the headquarters of the National Fire Agency, Ministry of the Interior, located in Xindian, New Taipei City. The Fire Agency manages Taiwan's emergency medical services, fire fighting, and disaster prevention. The director of the fire department is headed by the Director, currently Ye Qitang; and the director of the fire department of the Ministry of the Interior is Mr. Xiao Huanzhang. While not directly related to the meeting's content, I found the Fire Agency's logo quite interesting. According to news reports, President Lai Ching-te stated that the phoenix on the logo symbolizes rebirth, courage, and resilience.
Representatives from the Ministry of Labor, the Digital Industry Administration, and the Bureau of Standards, Ministry of Economic Affairs participated in this meeting. The main discussion focused on the safety of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders (containers containing a mixture of propane and butane) used for domestic cooking, heating, and industrial purposes. At the 2025 National NGO Environmental Conference, NGOs submitted a proposal to President Lai Ching-te suggesting the immediate installation of automatic shut-off devices on LPG cylinders.
To further mitigate risks, they also proposed modifications to the design, adding earthquake sensors, leak sensors, and timeout functions. What I found particularly interesting was their claim that the current standards they follow are based on relevant Japanese regulations, mentioning that Japan mandates the outdoor placement of these gas containers. This made me reflect on the extent of the influence of Japanese colonialism on Taiwan's bureaucracy and government, even today.
When I first came to Taiwan, I was very pleased to learn that despite its history of Japanese colonial rule, Taiwan maintains a friendly and welcoming attitude towards Japan and its culture. Now, all new buildings are required to place LPG containers outdoors, following Japan's practice. I also learned that an important function of public policy is to properly assess whether the use of public resources truly solves a specific problem, and how public acceptance and backlash affect the intended effects of laws or policies.
One representative stated that he believed they should not operate according to the "minimum safety standard," but should measure human life according to the highest standard, a view I agree with. Previously, a decision mandated the full adoption of automatic shut-off valves, although one representative claimed that these valves were not foolproof, only functioning in specific situations and making no difference in most cases. However, this decision was later overturned, allowing traditional gas cylinders to continue.
The biggest complaint from industry insiders is the low cost-effectiveness. The representative claimed they cared about safety more than anyone else, citing the criminal cases, settlements, and legal issues that could result from unsafe products, and that they wouldn't intentionally reject safer solutions. Initially, I was skeptical, as my research had encountered companies that ignored safety regulations for efficiency and profit. However, their explanation made sense. If certain safety features haven't yet proven widely effective, they can be considered optional features, available for purchase by users who need them. This is the so-called "two-track" compromise. Using regulations to restrict consumer choice without a legitimate reason also creates problems.
I also discovered an interesting fact: Taiwan has one of the world's largest manufacturers of LPG valves, accounting for approximately 70% of global supply. LPG valves exported to Europe and the US are required to have safety devices, but this requirement doesn't apply to the Taiwanese domestic market. Therefore, one reason for not mandating safety devices is regulation. From these discussions, I learned that some regulations I had never considered or paid particular attention to in my daily life are likely the result of repeated discussions and decisions made collaboratively by people from diverse backgrounds.
I've never seriously considered gasoline tanks in my life, yet the people in this building have worked together to improve safety through a mechanism most people don't even consider. These problems weren't easy to solve either, as they've been discussing them for six years. Even seemingly simple problems can ultimately prove surprisingly difficult.
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