It turned out that not a single firefighter died in the line of duty at the scene while responding to fires or conducting rescue and emergency medical activities last year. It is the first time in 23 years since 2002. The result is seen as significant, coming as President Lee Jae-myung emphasized that "protecting the public and ensuring firefighter safety are the top priority."
According to the National Fire Agency on the 12th, last year there were zero deaths in the line of duty from hazardous tasks (excluding suicides). Deaths in the line of duty from hazardous tasks refer to cases in which a person dies from a disaster while carrying out duties despite a high risk to life and body. This is distinct from deaths in the line of duty from general tasks, such as occupational diseases.
This is the first time since 2002 that there have been no deaths in the line of duty from hazardous tasks. In 2001, there was a tragedy in which six firefighters died in the line of duty in an arson attack at a multi-family home in Hongje-dong, Seodaemun District, Seoul, and in the following year, 2002, there were no deaths in the line of duty from hazardous tasks.
Over the past 20 years (2005–2024), an average of 4.2 firefighters a year died in the line of duty while on operations. In 2024, two rescue workers died in the line of duty when flames suddenly shot up at a factory fire scene in North Gyeongsang, and in 2023, one firefighter died when a building collapsed during suppression at a warehouse fire scene in Jeju. In 2019, a helicopter transporting a patient with a severed finger crashed near Dokdo, killing five rescue workers in the line of duty.
The National Fire Agency's strengthening of safety measures, such as overhauling on-site manuals under the core goal of "protecting the public and ensuring firefighter safety," helped achieve zero deaths in the line of duty from hazardous tasks.
Starting this year, the National Fire Agency will introduce "disaster simulation training" incorporating Virtual Reality (VR) technology to bolster response capabilities, focusing on on-site personnel with limited experience in major disasters. It plans to build on-site instincts centered on six high-frequency fire types, including apartment complexes, multiuse facilities, and factories.
Work is also speeding up on developing unmanned equipment to be deployed to high-risk sites. At a fire scene on the 30th of last month at a sanitary goods manufacturing plant in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong, an unmanned firefighting robot was deployed.
Advanced equipment for firefighter safety is also under development. Representative examples include a "vision device (visibility enhancement device)" that secures a field of view even in smoke, a "strength augmentation suit (wearable robot)" that reduces physical strain during high-intensity activity, and a "carbon fiber helmet" that is light and durable.
A National Fire Hospital dedicated to treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery for firefighters is also scheduled to officially open in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong, in Jun. With a total floor area of 39,000 square meters, it will have two basement levels and four above-ground floors, 302 beds, and 19 departments.
Acting Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong of the National Fire Agency said in this year's New Year's address, "We will greatly expand professional counseling staff to manage firefighters' mental health and establish a systematic health management system centered on the National Fire Hospital, which is set to fully open."