"Mold Grows on Equipment and Deployed Without Training"…Challenges Faced by Wildfire Suppression Team Members

"Ten Years of the Special Suppression Team,
Still No Unified Operation Manual"

Recently, members of the Korea Forest Service's Special Wildfire Disaster Suppression Team, deployed in wildfire suppression efforts in the Yeongnam region, called for a comprehensive review and improvement of the wildfire disaster response system. They particularly emphasized the urgent need for equipment upgrades and the establishment of an education system.

Wildfire Suppression Site. Public Transport Union Korea Forest Service Branch

On the 3rd, members of the Special Wildfire Disaster Suppression Team affiliated with the Korea Forest Service branch of the Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) held a press conference at the Hangul Hall auditorium in Jongno-gu, Seoul, raising their voices for the safety assurance, professional enhancement, and better treatment of all workers deployed to wildfire disaster sites.

Shin Hyun-hoon, the branch chief, stated, "Although the Special Suppression Team has been in operation for 10 years this year, the suppression members are deployed to the front lines without any training," adding, "There are 435 members in the Special Suppression Team, but there is no unified operation manual, and the training system has not been established yet."

A union member who joined in January this year said, "I only received video training from the Korea Forest Service. What helped me survive the wildfire last week was the training handed down from my team members," and added, "The manufacturer and country of origin of the supplied firefighting suit fabric are unclear, and the helmets provided were rusty and moldy."

Wildfire Suppression Site. Public Transport Union Korea Forest Service Branch

They said that when suppression members demand better treatment, the only response they get is "there is no budget," urging the authorities to make changes.

Kim Won, director of the Labor Environment and Health Research Institute, expressed concern, saying, "In the case of the special and preventive suppression teams, they were deployed to fire suppression without properly wearing protective gear," and added, "Moreover, the equipment worn by the special suppression team weighs over 10kg, and the preventive suppression team must carry a 20ℓ water container during suppression activities. This increases exposure to harmful substances, and for older members, the impact on their health will be even greater."

He further emphasized, "As the climate crisis worsens, large-scale wildfires are occurring frequently. We may experience even more wildfires in the future," and stressed, "From now on, our society and system must protect them."

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