Seoul Fire Department Rescues 38 Heatstroke Patients During July Heatwave... 3 Times More Than Last Year

33 Heat Illness Patients Transported After 119 Heatwave Measures Implemented... 5 Received On-Site Emergency Treatment
27 Cases of Heat Exhaustion Most Common... Over Half Occurred Between Noon and 6 PM

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced the interim results of the 119 Heatwave Measures being implemented to protect citizens' safety from summer heatwaves and urged special caution.

According to the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters on the 11th, since the implementation of the 119 Heatwave Measures in May, the first heat-related illness case occurred on July 2nd, and during the entire month of July, 38 heat-related illness cases were recorded due to the heatwave. This number is more than three times higher than the 12 cases rescued during the same period last year.

Among the 38 cases, 33 were urgently transported to nearby hospitals by the 119 ambulance team, and 5 received emergency treatment on-site. By type of heat-related illness, heat exhaustion was the most common with 27 cases (71.1%), followed by heatstroke and heat cramps with 4 cases each, and heat syncope with 3 cases.

By time of day, 10 cases (26.3%) occurred between noon and 3 p.m., and another 10 cases (26.3%) between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., concentrating more than half of the heat-related illness cases between noon and 6 p.m. Other times included 8 cases (21.1%) between 9 a.m. and noon, and 7 cases (18.4%) between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The locations where heat-related illnesses occurred were mostly outdoors such as along main roads with 16 cases (42.1%), followed by inside residences with 6 cases, and 3 cases each at workplaces and sports facilities. Additionally, those aged 60 and above accounted for 19 cases, making up half of all heat-related illness patients.

Furthermore, through ambulance teams returning from dispatch, 2,947 patrols were conducted throughout July, and during heatwave warnings, fire pump trucks and other equipment were mobilized to conduct 386 on-site inspections of vulnerable areas. Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, “We ask for increased attention to safety amid alternating heatwaves and heavy rain this summer,” and added, “We will do our utmost to implement an emergency response system to ensure citizens' safety from various disasters.”

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