Yeonsu-gu District (Mayor Lee Jae-ho) on the 7th presented merit commendations to two residents who acted quickly at a disaster scene to save the lives of their neighbors. The two are the first recipients of the 'Disaster Site Merit Commendation,' newly created this year, in a case of the local government formally recognizing the courage of citizens who stepped forward in a crisis.
 [The Korean Today] Two Yeonsu-gu residents receiving Disaster Site Merit Commendation © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The commendations stem from a fire that broke out in Okryeon-dong in August. The two residents, who were at the scene at the time, tore off the security bars from the burning house, helping a family of four escape. Security bars normally keep out intruders, but in a fire they can become an obstacle that blocks escape routes, making quick judgment essential.
They also used a moving ladder truck to bring one resident on the third floor to safety. Counting the family of four and the one person evacuated by ladder truck, a total of five lives were saved. The district said their response helped prevent a large loss of life.
Prompted by the case, the district established the commendation system to publicize the contributions of residents who help protect lives and safety at disaster sites, and to strengthen the community's disaster response capacity and safety awareness. The system reflects the view that the initial response of residents on the scene, before firefighters and government agencies arrive, can determine the scale of damage.
"We are grateful to the two residents who acted to protect their neighbors' lives at the fire scene," a Yeonsu-gu official said. "We will continue to identify those who have contributed to protecting residents' lives and safety at disaster sites and share cases of their response, so that swift disaster response can be achieved."
As the district plans to continue sharing response cases along with identifying meritorious residents, attention is focused on whether the commendation will help foster a culture of residents preparing for disasters on their own.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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