Jeju Fire Department, Joint Rescue Training with 'Rescue Dogs - Aviation Unit'

Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters conducted a joint search and rescue training exercise on the 11th with 119 rescue dogs and the 119 aviation unit to strengthen rescue capabilities in preparation for mountain accidents involving lost persons. Photo by Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters

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The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Fire Safety Headquarters (Chief Go Min-ja) announced on the 12th that on the 11th, a joint search and rescue training involving 119 rescue dogs and the 119 aviation unit was conducted to strengthen rescue capabilities in preparation for mountain accidents involving lost persons.

This training was conducted assuming situations requiring rapid rescue in winter mountain accidents, reflecting the characteristics of such incidents where survival rates drop sharply due to temperature drops.

In particular, the focus was on securing the golden time for rescue targets by proactively deploying fire helicopters and 119 rescue dogs in rugged mountainous terrain that is difficult for rescue workers to access.

119 rescue dogs possess a sense of smell more than 10,000 times more sensitive and hearing ability over 50 times greater than humans, playing a decisive role in searching for missing persons and discovering bodies. Based on these characteristics, they greatly contribute to saving lives in various disaster situations such as natural disasters, mountain accidents, and missing person incidents.

The training simultaneously conducted ground search by rescue dogs and aerial search using fire helicopters to enhance three-dimensional search response capabilities. Additionally, 119 rescue dogs boarded helicopters to quickly move to search areas, and repeated training was conducted using hoists to descend directly from the air to the ground, cultivating practical response skills.

Based on this training, a response system optimized for mountainous terrain widely distributed in Jeju, such as Hallasan and oreums, will be established, and capabilities to efficiently respond to disaster situations like missing person accidents or landslide burial accidents will be strengthened through organic cooperation between 119 rescue dogs and fire helicopters.

The 119 rescue dogs belonging to the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters number two, and this year alone, they have been deployed to 115 missing person search sites, achieving the rescue of eight subjects within the golden time.

Go Min-ja, Chief of the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters, emphasized, “Due to Jeju’s characteristics, with many restrictions on natural environment and road access, the role of 119 rescue dogs is very important,” adding, “We plan to continuously conduct training to strengthen the organic response system between 119 rescue dogs and fire helicopters and to improve practical rescue capabilities.”

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