Jeju Fire Headquarters Strengthens Mental Health Management for Firefighters

Published 20 Sep.2023 10:55(KST)

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Fire Safety Headquarters (Chief Kim Suhwan) has taken steps to manage the mental health of firefighters who are repeatedly exposed to various disaster and accident scenes and suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Jeju Fire Department announced on the 20th that it operated a stress resilience enhancement program over two days, from the 17th to the 18th, targeting a total of 22 employees who were identified through surveys and psychological counseling as needing mental health treatment and management, as well as those complaining of job-related stress.

Jeju Fire Department operated a stress resilience enhancement program for firefighters over two days, from the 17th to the 18th. <br>[Photo by Jeju Fire Department]

Jeju Fire Department operated a stress resilience enhancement program for firefighters over two days, from the 17th to the 18th.
[Photo by Jeju Fire Department]

The program consists of stress index measurement, hydrotherapy, mind therapy, and consultations with specialists, aiming to alleviate anxiety factors among firefighters, promote physical and mental stability through customized healing programs, and support psychological recovery.

In particular, peer counselors from the ‘Psychological Support Team’ formed last month conducted in-depth individual counseling to help recover from psychological wounds experienced during job performance, systematically managing firefighters’ mental health issues and creating a healing environment that actively addresses these problems.

Chief Kim Suhwan stated, “Given the frequent exposure to stressful situations inherent in their duties, what is most important for firefighters is to create an environment where they can openly share their inner difficulties and strengthen their ability to recover.”

He added, “We will do our best at the organizational level to sustain firefighters’ mental health through high-quality programs.”

Meanwhile, the program has demonstrated practical mental health healing effects, showing a 100% satisfaction rate in surveys conducted among participants.