Los Angeles Wildfire Reconstruction Commences, Acknowledging Generous Donation from Taiwanese Business Community
The rebuilding process in the wildfire-stricken areas of Los Angeles has begun, with Sun Chen-chieh, the Fire Chief of Arcadia, expressing gratitude for a donation from the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce. Reflecting on his Taiwanese heritage, Chief Sun stated, “As a Taiwanese-American, I feel very proud.”
On the 9th, the Taiwan Representative Office in Los Angeles, in conjunction with the World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce, held a joint donation ceremony, with both official and private sectors contributing a total of $500,000. The World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce will donate this amount to the Arcadia Fire Department Foundation for the construction of a training center.
Situated on the east side of Los Angeles, Arcadia borders the Eaton wildfire area. Chief Sun Chen Suen took the stage to express his pride as a Taiwanese-American, eliciting enthusiastic applause from the audience.
In an interview with Central News Agency reporters, Chief Sun mentioned his roots in Taichung County, Taiwan. His parents immigrated to the US in 1979 when he was just one year old, carried by his mother.
Chief Sun attributed his career choice as a firefighter to his father’s military service in Taiwan. When he was studying at UC Irvine 22 years ago, his father suggested a career in law enforcement or firefighting, which greatly appealed to him.
The allure of riding a red fire truck and responding to emergency calls to assist others motivated Chief Sun to pursue firefighting. Now with 21 years of service in the fire department, he emphasized the significant responsibility felt during the recent severe Los Angeles wildfires.
Chief Sun highlighted the importance of their mission to save lives and protect homes, acknowledging the devastating loss of many houses while expressing deep sorrow.
Accompanied by his fellow firefighters, Chief Sun attended the donation ceremony, expressing gratitude to the World Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce for their substantial contribution. He hopes the funds will facilitate the establishment of a regional fire training center to enhance firefighters’ skills in various fire scenarios.