Repeated firefighter deaths... Overly harsh criticism of "failure to save" leads to overexertion

"Comprehensive Immunity Needed for On-Site Judgment and Decision-Making"
Calls for Budget Expansion Including Supplies

Voices are rising for urgent safety measures for firefighters following the incident where two young firefighters lost their lives while rescuing people at a meat processing factory fire in Mungyeong-si, Gyeongbuk. Experts agree that society needs to foster an atmosphere that respects the on-site judgments and decisions made by firefighters as the best possible at the time.

On the 2nd, Ham Eun-gu, a professor in the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at Korea Open Cyber University, said on YTN Radio's 'News King Park Ji-hoon' that "Currently, education and manuals regarding potential risks are being implemented during the deployment of rescue teams or investigation of causes," but advised, "There is a need for institutional arrangements that grant firefighters discretionary authority to avoid overexertion in dangerous situations." He added, "Firefighters are well aware of the dangers on site, but the reality is that our society criticizes them for not conducting appropriate rescue activities properly."

On the 1st, firefighters are looking at a factory reduced to ashes at a fire site in Singi-dong, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongbuk. Two fire rescue workers died in the line of duty while conducting rescue operations here.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

Lee Young-joo, a professor in the Department of Fire and Disaster Prevention at Kyungil University, also argued, "The most difficult thing on site is not the act of saving lives or performing activities itself, but how one's actions and judgments will be perceived afterward depending on the situation." On the same day on KBS Radio's 'Jeon Jong-cheol's Jeongyeok Sisa,' Professor Lee explained, "If an accident or injury occurs during swift and active on-site operations, there is criticism for not managing safety properly; if one acts cautiously for on-site safety, there is criticism for not engaging in firefighting activities actively."

He continued, "The most important thing is a system that respects that the judgments and decisions made on site were the best possible under those circumstances," adding, "It is crucial to create a social atmosphere that sufficiently understands and does not merely criticize or blame on-site decisions, including providing broad immunity for on-site command."

Professor Lee also argued that the budget for supplies for on-site personnel should be expanded.

He explained, "Compared to 10 to 15 years ago, the quality and distribution of equipment have greatly improved, and efforts are ongoing. For example, regarding firefighting suits, South Korea sets the replacement standard at 3 years, whereas countries like the United States set it at 6 to 7 years." However, he noted, "There are still areas where improvement efforts are not felt at the front lines. Although the firefighting budget increases every year, the supply to on-site personnel remains similar, so budget expansion efforts in this area are necessary."

According to the Gyeongbuk Provincial Fire Headquarters, a fire broke out at a meat processing manufacturing factory in the Shingi 2nd General Industrial Complex, Shingi-dong, Mungyeong-si, where Fire Lieutenant Kim Su-gwang (27) and Firefighter Park Su-hoon (35) of the Mungyeong Fire Station 119 Rescue and Emergency Center died in the line of duty. After hearing that there might be factory personnel or others needing rescue inside the building, the two entered and became trapped while searching for survivors on the third floor, resulting in their deaths.