Jeonnam Fire Department Rolls Up Sleeves to Alleviate Trauma of Frontline Firefighters

Full-Scale Operation of 119 Mobile Counseling Center Begins

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Fire Department has rolled up its sleeves to relieve the trauma of frontline firefighters who struggle to protect the lives and safety of the people, aiming to provide higher quality services to the residents.

Jeonnam Fire Headquarters (Chief Ma Jaeyoon) announced on the 11th that it will officially operate the ‘119 Mobile Counseling Center’ by establishing a mobile psychological counseling vehicle.

Jeonnam Fire has been operating the 119 Counseling Center to help relieve the trauma and promote the mental health of firefighters wounded at horrific scenes.

Over the past three years, it has hired 15 professional psychological counselors, the most in the nation, and last year provided psychological counseling to 14,509 firefighters. This year, it also provided services to 398 local residents through COVID-19 support activities.

The ‘119 Mobile Counseling Center,’ introduced for the first time in the Honam region, was made possible by receiving support for the mobile psychological counseling vehicle as a result of a business agreement in May with eBay Korea and the Retired Firefighters Association, and has now begun full operation.

Jeonnam Fire remodeled the interior of the mobile counseling vehicle to create a counseling space for five people and installed equipment for outdoor counseling. In addition, dedicated personnel qualified in psychological counseling will be assigned to operate the counseling room without restrictions on time and place.

In particular, it plans to use the center not only for firefighters who are physically and mentally exhausted but also as a psychological counseling space for residents who need psychological stability at large-scale disaster sites.

Ma Jaeyoon, Chief of Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, said, “Conversations shared comfortably and naturally at the 119 Mobile Counseling Center are expected to be much more effective than in a confined office,” adding, “We will strive to provide psychological counseling support through comfort and empathy to heal the hearts of Jeonnam residents who have suffered due to COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, according to a mental health survey conducted by the National Fire Agency last year, among 2,885 firefighter respondents in the Jeonnam area, 567 (19.5%) suffered from sleep disorders, 641 (22.2%) had drinking habit disorders, and 139 (5.6%) were classified as at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.