Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters, Always Unwaveringly Committed to 'Resident Safety'!

Reviewing Achievements Instead of the 60th Firefighters' Day Commemoration Ceremony

On September 2nd, a new fire helicopter inauguration ceremony was held at the 119 Special Rescue Team Air Rescue Ambulance Unit located in Hapcheon-gun. [Image source=Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] The Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters observed the 60th Firefighting Day on the 9th somewhat quietly.

Considering the national mourning and condolence situation related to the Itaewon tragedy, the Gyeongnam Headquarters canceled the Firefighting Day commemorative event on the 9th and instead reviewed past achievements, pledged safety for the residents, and awarded commendations to those who contributed to fire safety.

The Firefighting Day commendation is an award given annually on November 9th to employees, individuals, and organizations who have contributed to protecting the lives and property of residents.

This year, 169 people in the province, including Yoo Dong-hoon, a dedicated volunteer firefighter from Goseong, were honored for their contributions.

Kim Jong-geun, Head of the Gyeongnam Fire Department, appeared on the KBS News Gyeongnam Issue Talk on May 31. [Image source=KBS Gyeongnam YouTube channel]

On that day, Kim Jong-geun, head of the Gyeongnam Headquarters, appeared on KBS News Gyeongnam’s ‘Issue Talk’ to discuss ▲how to respond when witnessing a cardiac arrest patient ▲methods of CPR education ▲new fire safety policies and achievements.

The provincial fire headquarters announced that under this year’s policy goal of ‘Safer Gyeongnam, Happier Residents,’ they achieved results such as ▲reducing resident damage through active response to large wildfires ▲strengthening volunteer firefighter activities to improve local disaster prevention capabilities ▲establishing an autonomous fire safety management experience and education system ▲enhancing disaster response capabilities through equipment reinforcement.

In May, a wildfire broke out in the hills of Bubuk-myeon, Miryang-si, Gyeongnam, prompting firefighters from the Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters to respond. [Image source=Gyeongnam Fire Headquarters]

According to the Gyeongnam Headquarters, fire-related firefighting activities at wildfire sites such as Miryang and Hapcheon reduced property damage by 847.4 billion KRW compared to last year, and the number of deaths decreased by 9 to 7.

The headquarters also worked on policies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the lives of emergency patients by transporting 29,249 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients to medical institutions.

Through the operation of the ‘Cardiac Arrest Patient Life Keeper Team’ involving residents, they restored breathing to 102 emergency patients including cardiac arrest cases by the third quarter of this year, certifying 243 firefighters and residents as saviors for their contributions.

They created a website called ‘Experience Fire Safety in Our Apartment,’ visiting 2,590 high-rise residential complexes to photograph and post real evacuation and firefighting facilities.

An online fire safety education platform was also established, offering free non-face-to-face courses such as video lectures and online classes.

Major achievements include ▲replacement and reinforcement of 78 fire vehicles across 12 types ▲expansion of 10,727 personal protective equipment items across 6 types ▲specialized traffic safety training commissioned for 1,054 fire vehicle operators ▲regular debriefing training for 18 fire stations ▲shift inspections of 8 types of fire vehicles including pump trucks and water tanks ▲production and distribution of a safe driving manual.

The introduction of the new KUHC-1 firefighting helicopter ‘Jirisan Saemae’ and the implementation of aviation safety capability enhancement training for the 119 Special Rescue Unit, as well as manufacturer-led type transition training for pilots and mechanics and visits to institutions operating the same helicopter model, were also conducted.

Continuous aviation safety and specialized aviation rescue training are being provided for the air rescue and emergency medical team.

The provincial fire headquarters announced plans to reinforce wildfire suppression equipment in 2023, including 20 wildfire suppression vehicles and 36 portable water tanks, to establish a rapid response system for wildfires in the province.

They will also expand the operation of dedicated volunteer firefighting teams that directly operate fire trucks in 50 areas without firefighting forces among the 169 townships in the province.

Currently, 13 dedicated volunteer teams are operating, and preparations are underway to convert 5 teams into dedicated teams this year.

The headquarters plans to convert 45 general volunteer firefighting teams into dedicated volunteer teams over the next four years to solve the shortage of firefighting forces in township areas.

Kim, the fire headquarters chief, said, “On Firefighting Day, we are striving to communicate and empathize more to raise residents’ awareness and understanding of fire risks,” adding, “We will repay the trust and support from residents by firmly taking responsibility for the safety of Gyeongnam Province.”

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