Fire Agency to Promote 21 Rescuers by One Rank After Selection

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Fire Agency announced that it will promote special promotions for outstanding rescue personnel who have dedicated themselves to protecting the lives and property of the public at various disaster sites.

The existing special promotion system for firefighters was implemented in connection with civilian awards, but since 2019, it has been changed to a special promotion system for excellent public officials in active administration by field. This special promotion in the rescue field is the second time following last year.

This year, the National Fire Agency will select a total of 21 firefighters who have contributed to rescue work from the Central 119 Rescue Headquarters and 18 cities and provinces, awarding them the Commissioner of the National Fire Agency Commendation and promoting them one rank higher.

Firefighters who have contributed to rescue work are selected based on a comprehensive evaluation of rescue activity performance and integrity. To ensure objective and fair selection, the screening committee includes external experts, and personal information that could identify candidates is kept confidential.

The selection method involves the 'Internal Merit Screening Committee' of the city/provincial fire headquarters (including the Central 119 Rescue Headquarters) recommending twice the number of candidates allocated to the National Fire Agency. The National Fire Agency then conducts on-site inspections (if necessary) to verify candidates and operates a central merit screening committee to select the final recipients.

A National Fire Agency official stated, “The 21 firefighters finally selected for their contributions to rescue work will receive the Commissioner’s Commendation and a one-rank special promotion in November. Through an environment where firefighters who have served the public with dedication are favored, they will be able to give back to the public once again.”

Meanwhile, last year, the National Fire Agency promoted the '1st Outstanding Rescue Personnel Special Promotion,' awarding the Commissioner’s Commendation and a one-rank special promotion to 23 firefighters selected for their contributions to rescue work.