Jeonbuk Fire Department to Ensure Foreigners' Safety for Large-Scale International Events This Year

Operation of a Three-Way Call System Among Foreign Reporters, Interpreter Volunteers, and 119 Situation Room

Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters (Chief Ju Nak-dong) is making every effort not only to ensure the safety of over 60,000 foreigners residing in the region but also to prepare for large-scale international events scheduled for this year.

Jeonbuk Fire announced on the 20th that, as a special measure to strengthen 119 emergency call response for foreigners, it will operate its own 119 interpretation volunteer group to assist foreigners who are not proficient in Korean in reporting emergencies to 119.

To this end, Jeonbuk Fire signed a business agreement on the same day with the Jeonbuk Multicultural Family Support Center to operate the Jeonbuk 119 interpretation volunteer group. The volunteer group consists of a total of 66 volunteers, including multicultural center workers and migrant women in the province, who have simultaneous interpretation skills in 12 languages such as Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino.

They normally go about their daily lives, but when a call comes from the 119 comprehensive situation room, they use a system that enables three-way calls between the 'foreign caller - interpretation volunteer - 119 situation room' to provide quick and accurate interpretation between the foreign caller in an emergency and the 119 situation room.

To support this, Jeonbuk Fire has been conducting regular 119 situation response training and video conferences since February, holding the 'Foreigners 119 Emergency Call Response Training' four times a month.

Through training and education, interpretation volunteers become proficient in the 119 call reception system, enabling them to interpret the information desired by both the foreign caller and the situation room staff more quickly and accurately.

Last month, there was a dispute among foreigners in Sunchang, and a foreigner directly called 119. The 119 comprehensive situation room immediately activated the three-way simultaneous interpretation system, assessed the situation on site, and dispatched an ambulance.

Ju Nak-dong, Chief of Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters, said, “This year, large-scale international events such as the Jeonbuk Asia-Pacific Masters Games and the Saemangeum World Jamboree are scheduled, so we will strengthen the 119 call reception service for foreigners. Through the operation of the 119 interpretation volunteer group, we will do our best to ensure the safety of not only foreigners residing in the province but also those visiting Jeonbuk.”

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