"They Never Gave Up": Heartfelt Banners in Front of Gapyeong Fire Station

Banners of Gratitude Hung by Families of July Flood Victims
Expressing Deep Thanks for Firefighters' Dedication and Sacrifice
"Your Noble Efforts Brought Our Loved Ones Home"

Two banners hung in front of the Gapyeong Fire Station in Gyeonggi Province evoke a deep sense of emotion. These banners were put up by families who lost loved ones in the accidents caused by the heavy rain and subsequent landslides and missing persons cases in July, as a sincere expression of gratitude for the firefighters' noble dedication and sense of duty.

On July 20, families of victims buried or missing due to the heavy rain hung a banner expressing their gratitude in front of the Gapyeong Fire Station. Gyeonggi Northern Fire and Disaster Headquarters

According to the JoongAng Ilbo and other sources on September 4, a banner in front of the Gapyeong Fire Station reads, "We sincerely thank you for your noble dedication and sense of duty in helping to search for the missing. We earnestly wish for the health and safety of the firefighters at Gapyeong Fire Station."

This banner was reportedly installed by the family of a man in his 40s, identified as Mr. A, who lost his life after being swept away by a landslide and rapid currents at a campsite in Mail-ri, Jojeong-myeon, Gapyeong County, on July 20. At the time, his 17-year-old eldest son was narrowly rescued, but Mr. A, his wife, and their younger son lost their lives. Thanks to the firefighters' dedication, their bodies were recovered on the day of the incident, July 23, and July 31, respectively.

Mr. A's family also posted messages on the websites of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters and the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stating, "Even in the depths of our grief, we were able to endure because we met people who did their utmost to search and comfort us despite the relentless heat and accumulated fatigue," and "We are truly grateful to everyone who never gave up and ultimately found all of our younger sibling's family and returned them to us."

In response, the head of the Gyeonggi Fire and Disaster Headquarters said, "Thank you for expressing your gratitude even in the midst of such profound sorrow," and added, "We will continue to do our utmost in our duties so that we can remain a strong support for the people."

The other banner was put up by the family of Mr. B, a man in his 50s who went missing on July 20 and was found 20 days later. The banner reads, "Thank you for your tireless efforts day and night so that our loved one could return to us," and, "We welcomed him so he could go to a better place."

With the recovery of Mr. B's body, the fire authorities were able to recover all four people who went missing due to the heavy rain in July.

Meanwhile, the heavy rain on July 20 alone claimed eight lives in northern Gyeonggi Province (seven in Gapyeong and one in Pocheon), left 137 people displaced, and caused property damage amounting to approximately 180 billion won.