A watchdog page is accusing Taiwanese fire agency chiefs of using loyalty talk to dodge real investigations, a bad sign for public accountability.

• Hualien's fire chief responded to the death of Wilson, the search-and-rescue dog famous for finding survivors in the 2024 Hualien earthquake, by saying he trusts his staff.
• Two months earlier, Yilan's fire chief used the same phrase when prosecutors searched his home and office over padded meal-expense claims.
• That case ended with the Yilan chief released on bail under anti-corruption charges; he retired in July and the probe is still open.
• Critics say the phrase turns the question into "do you believe frontline workers?" instead of asking where the evidence is.
• With the Hualien county council demanding a special report, the fire bureau is being pressed to release the accident timeline, medical records, and disciplinary reasoning.

Outlook: Expect the Hualien fire bureau to face a formal council report where trust alone will not settle the questions about Wilson's death.