PUBLISHED ONJanuary 19, 2023 10:05 AM
Why I Do What I Do is an original AsiaOne series where we showcase people with uncommon professions and what it takes to get there. In Why I Do What I Do: Asia, a nine-part spin-off, we scour the region for more unconventional jobs and the stories of the people behind them.
For most, braving the natural elements is something best avoided.
But for the members of Taiwan's Sacred Eagles Search and Rescue (SESR), it's all just part of a day's work.
The private mountain emergency rescue team is made out of volunteers from all walks of life, featuring the likes of teachers, service industry staff and even farmers!
The head coach of the SESR team, tea farmer Liu Jun-xiu, has been with the team for over 22 years.
Despite this being a part-time commitment, the enthusiasm shown by the SESR team members in the video, is proof of their dedication to the precise, and gruelling physical training.
Once activated, they have little room for error as they scour the treacherous mountain terrain in search of lost and stranded hikers.
One particular mission that stuck with Jun-xiu was when he had to recover seven bodies in a day during a landslide rescue operation.
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