'30s Disabled Firefighter Dream Realized'... Gyeonggi Fire Department Appoints Yang Gi-yeol as Honorary Member

A person with a disability in their 30s has fulfilled their dream of becoming a firefighter.

On the 29th, the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters announced on the 30th that they presented a certificate of appointment as an honorary firefighter of Gyeonggi-do to Yang Gi-yeol (36), a trainee in the vocational adaptation training class at the Hope Narae Welfare Center for the Disabled located in Uiwang City, who is also an active member of the Uiwang City Disabled Choir.

Yang, who has an intellectual disability, received the ‘Fire Station Chief Award (Simkung Award)’ in the disabled category at the Gyeonggi-do CPR competition held last month and smiled brightly saying, "I want to become a firefighter." Yang’s earnest wish moved Cho Seon-ho, head of the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters, leading to his appointment as an honorary firefighter that day.

Cho Sunho, Head of the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters (left), is taking a commemorative photo after presenting a certificate of appointment to Yang Giyeol, who was appointed as an honorary firefighter on the 29th.

On that day, Yang wore a firefighter uniform and hat with a name tag on the right chest that read ‘Honorary Firefighter Yang Gi-yeol,’ receiving great applause from the attendees.

Cho Seon-ho, head of the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters, said, "There has been a tendency to view people with disabilities only as passive subjects of protection, but through customized specialized programs, we realized that various safety education and training are fully possible," and promised, "We will continue to make sustained and multifaceted efforts to enhance safety for people with disabilities."

Meanwhile, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters is developing safety measures tailored to the situations and characteristics of people with disabilities. At 17 experience centers across the province, a Disabled Safety Experience Day is held monthly, and specialized fire safety instructors for disabled education are being trained.

Additionally, manuals on safety behavior guidelines by type of disability are being produced and distributed, and in June, the first Developmentally Disabled Fire Safety Quiz Contest, ‘Let’s Do It Together! Safe Fire Bell,’ will be held.