'Power of 119 Won'... Gyeonggi Fire Department Supports 22 Fifth-Time Crisis Households

Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters

The Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters is achieving great results with the ‘Warm Companion Gyeonggi 119’ project, which collects daily donations of 119 won from its employees.

On the 20th, the Fire and Disaster Headquarters selected 22 households as the fifth beneficiaries of the Warm Companion Gyeonggi 119 project. Notably, the number of beneficiaries was significantly increased from about 10 households to 22 this time.

The 22 selected households include 10 fire victims in difficult circumstances such as basic livelihood security recipients, 9 basic livelihood security recipients, and 3 low-income medical support households.

Among the selected individuals were many heartbreaking stories, including ▲a head of household in his 60s who is a basic livelihood security recipient with the entire family disabled and lost his home to a fire in March, leaving him homeless ▲a social service worker at Gwangmyeong Fire Station whose parents are both hospitalized due to stroke and cancer, causing financial hardship ▲and a head of household in his 60s living in Suwon who had to quit his job as an apartment security guard after battling blood cancer for 8 years.

Warm Companion Gyeonggi 119 is a project where Gyeonggi-do firefighters and volunteer firefighters voluntarily participate by saving 119 won daily to raise funds to help neighbors in need.

Since its launch in December 2022, the fund has accumulated over 410 million won as of May this year, with local businesses and various organizations also joining the fundraising efforts. There are also cases where firefighters donate various awards they received for their work performance.

The Fire and Disaster Headquarters has so far provided over 140 million won in support to a total of 48 households affected by fires and economically vulnerable families through four rounds of assistance.

Cho Sun-ho, head of the Gyeonggi-do Fire and Disaster Headquarters, stated, "I feel rewarded thinking that the small sincerity of our firefighters can bring some comfort to those in hardship and help them regain their footing."