Seoul City Activates Emergency Rescue Response System for Summer... Minimizing Casualties from Heatwaves and Wind-Related Disasters

Establishing a Proactive Emergency Response System for Human Rescue in Heatwave and Flood-Related Disaster Situations

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 14th that it will implement emergency rescue measures to ensure the safety of citizens from summer heatwaves and wind and flood disasters.

As the number of heatwave days this summer is expected to increase compared to the average year, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters plans to minimize casualties by promoting the transport of heat-related emergency patients, protecting vulnerable groups, and operating an emergency response system for wind and flood disasters. The main measures include ▲activation of an emergency transport system for heat-related emergency patients ▲customized fire safety services for disaster-vulnerable groups ▲operation of an emergency response system for wind and flood disasters ▲and human rescue measures for power outage accidents.

First, to provide rapid medical treatment and transport for heat-related emergency patients, 163 119 ambulance teams will be intensively deployed, and fire pump trucks will be designated as standby units for "pumbulance" operations to cover any gaps in ambulance dispatch.

Additionally, dedicated personnel will be assigned to the Ambulance Situation Management Center to strengthen medical consultation and emergency treatment guidance when heat-related illnesses occur. In particular, when a heatwave advisory is issued, to protect vulnerable groups, a "vulnerable site patrol 119 ambulance team" and the "119 Safety Support Call Center" will operate during heatwave warnings, and during heatwave alerts, a "Heatwave 119 Safety Camp" will be operated in 12 shantytown areas across Seoul.

In the event of power outages caused by a surge in electricity usage, an emergency response system will be activated. In the case of large-scale power outages, additional dispatch teams pre-designated will be deployed alongside the 119 rescue teams to respond to simultaneous elevator entrapment incidents.

Furthermore, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters will also implement emergency rescue measures for wind and flood disasters until October, when typhoons or heavy rains may occur. For this purpose, flood-prone areas such as habitual flooding zones have already been selected, and patrol and rescue measures to prevent casualties, along with necessary training for flood rescue and other wind and flood disaster situations, will be conducted.

When weather warnings are issued, the wind and flood disaster situation rooms of the Fire and Disaster Headquarters and 25 fire stations will switch to an emergency duty system, and the Seoul Comprehensive Disaster Prevention Center will operate up to 80 call reception lines to cope with the surge in 119 emergency calls. Moreover, if accidents with potential mass casualties occur due to heavy rains, fire stations will activate the Emergency Rescue Control Team to promptly conduct rescue operations. After emergency responses such as rescues are completed, for flooded areas, support such as drainage, water supply, and emergency power will be provided in cooperation with related agencies.

Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, “We will ensure there are no gaps in the activation of the emergency response system to secure citizen safety from summer heatwaves and wind and flood disasters,” and added, “We will especially focus on rescue and ambulance measures to protect vulnerable groups.”

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