The National Fire Agency said on the 8th that it will forward-deploy a National 119 Rescue Headquarters firefighting helicopter to the Gangwon East Coast, where the risk of large wildfires is high.
The deployment period is from the 9th to May 15. A firefighting helicopter will be stationed with the East Sea Rim Special Response Unit of the Gangwon Fire Headquarters in Gangneung to focus on defending six East Coast cities and counties: Goseong, Sokcho, Yangyang, Gangneung, Donghae and Samcheok.
On the East Coast, spring wildfires are frequent due to dry weather and the yangganjipung (a very strong and dry local wind that blows between Yangyang and Goseong). But the National Fire Agency decided on the forward deployment to fill the gap after the lease period ended for the helicopters operated to respond to wildfires in the Gangwon region.
From Feb. 9 to 26, the National Fire Agency will deploy the highly mobile Chungcheong-Gangwon 119 Aviation Corps "AS365N2" (900-liter water capacity) helicopter to focus on initial fire suppression.
From Feb. 27 to May 15, when a full-fledged dry spell and strong winds are expected, it will swiftly deploy the Seoul metropolitan 119 Aviation Corps' large "H225" helicopter. The H225 is equipped with a 2,500-liter high-capacity water tank and can fly stably even in strong winds.
The National Fire Agency plans to respond to wildfires in connection with the national integrated dispatch system for firefighting helicopters, which was expanded to the Gangwon region this year. Previously, the helicopter of the jurisdiction took precedence, but under the integrated dispatch system, the helicopter that is "closest and most suitable" to the incident site is dispatched. In a prior pilot run, dispatch times were shortened by an average of more than 13 minutes.
National 119 Rescue Headquarters Chief Kim Su-hwan said, "The East Coast is like a powder keg where even a small spark in the spring can instantly turn into a major disaster," adding, "We will pour all our capabilities into putting the lives and safety of the people first."