Fire Agency Deploys 5,500 Safety Rescue Personnel at Beaches, Valleys, and Rivers

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Fire Agency announced that from the 1st to August 31st, it will sequentially deploy 119 Citizen Water Rescue Teams nationwide to prevent safety accidents and enable rapid life-saving activities for water recreation visitors at beaches, valleys, rivers, and other locations.

The 119 Citizen Water Rescue Teams, composed of fire service personnel and private volunteers, have been implemented since 2004 to prevent and promptly respond to water-related safety accidents during the summer season. This year, 5,385 pieces of equipment including inflatable boats and 5,570 citizen rescuers will be deployed at 230 water recreation sites nationwide. They will perform duties such as life-saving in emergencies, patrols for safe water play, safety education, and promotion of safety rules.

Additionally, 119 ambulance teams will be stationed nearby at 47 major beaches and other popular vacation spots expecting large numbers of tourists to provide immediate emergency treatment and rapid hospital transport in case of patient incidents, preparing for emergency situations.

Park Seong-yeol, Director of the 119 Life Safety Division at the National Fire Agency, stated, "Since most water-related fatalities occur due to personal negligence, swimming after drinking, or poor swimming skills, it is essential to strictly follow basic safety rules." He added, "This year, as many citizens are expected to visit outdoor water recreation sites to relieve the prolonged COVID-19 atmosphere, we will create a safe water play environment through the operation of citizen water rescue teams and simultaneously guide and instruct visitors to comply with social distancing guidelines in daily life."

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