‘119 Won a Day’ Chungnam Fire Department, Practicing Neighborly Love in Progress

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Fire Department is steadily practicing neighborly love with ‘119 won a day’.

Chungnam Fire Headquarters firefighters and volunteer firefighters are volunteering at the construction site of "Value-Gayu Chungnam 119 Hope Giving House No. 1" in Dunpo-myeon, Asan-si on June 16, 2021. Provided by Chungnam Province

According to Chungnam Province on the 9th, the Chungnam Fire Department started the ‘Value-Gayu Chungnam 119’ fundraising project in February 2021.

This project is implemented by having about 5,700 firefighting officers and volunteer firefighters contribute 119 won a day to deliver aid to neighbors who have suffered damage from disasters such as fires or who need help due to disabilities or illnesses.

The total amount collected over the past two years through the project is 477.94 million won, with 268.21 million won collected in the first year and 209.73 million won last year. The fundraising amount was supplemented by support from local companies aware of and participating in the good deeds of Chungnam Fire Department members.

With the funds collected from many small contributions, Chungnam Fire Department supported a total of 54 households, including 34 households affected by fire, with 110 million won in 2021. Then last year, 253 million won was delivered to 73 households, including 17 households affected by fire and 19 economically vulnerable households.

Representative cases include emergency support of 16 million won in medical expenses for four elementary school students who were in an accident with a passenger car driven by a foreign student while commuting to school in Geumsan, and support funds delivered to a person in their 60s who lost their home due to fire and has been living in the village hall for six months, as well as a person in their 60s caring for a son with cerebral hemorrhage in poor health after cancer surgery.

The recipients supported by the Chungnam Fire Department’s fund were selected among residents with a median income below 80% who suffered disasters such as fire, rescue, or emergency, or who have illnesses, pregnant women, severely disabled persons, Koryo-saram and North Korean defectors, and neighbors in sudden crisis situations such as livelihood, medical care, or housing who are in urgent need of help but are in blind spots of legal and institutional support.

The essence of the project is to hold a review committee quarterly or as needed to review neighbors recommended by each fire station and provide funds within a limit of 10 million won.

Kim Jong-wook, head of the Fire Integrity Audit Division at Chungnam Fire Headquarters, said, “Anyone with a will can participate in the Value-Gayu Chungnam 119 fundraising project,” and added, “We will strive to continue the warm hearts of 2.2 million residents who achieved the highest per capita fundraising nationwide in the recent ‘Hope 2023 Sharing Campaign’ through Chungnam Fire Department.”