Seoul Fire Department Implements Emergency Measures to Prepare for Cold Wave

The Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 1st that it will implement emergency rescue and first aid measures to prepare for the winter cold wave until March 15 next year.

The main measures include establishing an emergency transport system for cold-related patients, establishing a rapid on-site dispatch system, activating a situation management system when weather warnings are issued, and emergency response measures in case of power outages.

Specifically, a field-oriented '119 Mobile Ambulance Team' will patrol residential areas of vulnerable groups and provide immediate first aid and ambulance services on-site if cold-related patients are found.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters and 25 fire stations will operate emergency situation rooms and deploy situation management personnel according to the level when a cold wave advisory or cold wave warning is issued. The emergency situation rooms will disseminate the warning situation, and the situation management personnel will perform tasks such as supporting the safety of disaster-vulnerable groups and managing the transport status of cold-related patients.

Due to the surge in electricity usage caused by increased use of heating devices in winter, in case of power outages, in addition to the 119 rescue team, two additional power generator vehicles will be mobilized to respond urgently to incidents such as elevator entrapments.

In addition, continuous training such as ice rescue and underwater search drills to prepare for Han River water accidents during the severe cold season, and life rescue training for mountain accidents will be conducted to establish a rapid response system for winter accident situations.

Hyun Jin-su, Disaster Response Director of the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, "We will ensure there are no gaps in the operation of the emergency response system to secure citizen safety from the winter cold wave," adding, "We will especially focus on implementing rescue and first aid measures to protect vulnerable groups."