Uisa and Incheon Fire Department Join Hands... Improving Emergency Medical Access for Residents of Northwest Islands

On the 25th, the Armed Forces Medical Command joined hands with the Incheon Fire Headquarters to strengthen emergency medical accessibility for residents in medically vulnerable island areas of Incheon, including the northwestern islands.

According to the military, Lieutenant General Lee Sang-ho, Commander of the Armed Forces Medical Command, and Lim Won-seop, Chief of the Incheon Fire Headquarters, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on this matter at the Incheon Fire Headquarters on the same day. This agreement aims to enhance the disaster response capabilities of both organizations and establish a faster and more systematic emergency medical support system.

Through this agreement, both organizations will cooperate on ▲ establishing a hotline between the Medical Comprehensive Situation Center and the Incheon Fire Headquarters for emergency patient helicopter transport ▲ supporting emergency patient transport in the northwestern islands military restricted area using military medical evacuation helicopters ▲ controlling handover points during military helicopter takeoff and landing and coordinating with 119 ambulances ▲ strengthening job performance capabilities through education and training between paramedics and military medical personnel.

In particular, since firefighting helicopters cannot fly in the northwestern islands due to military restricted zones, military medical evacuation helicopters will support emergency patient transport in their place, further strengthening the cooperation system between the military and fire services and expectedly eliminating blind spots in emergency medical care.

Commander Lee stated, “We will do our best to support and protect the lives of not only the military but also the public by further strengthening emergency transport support in the northwestern islands and military restricted zones.” Major Nam So-yoon, head of the Medical Comprehensive Situation Center’s Medical Support Team, who attended the signing ceremony, also said, “This agreement has created an opportunity to maximize emergency patient transport capabilities through cooperation between the fire service and the military,” adding, “We plan to continue close cooperation to refine the helicopter operation system at the inter-agency and government-wide level.”