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There are few opportunities to listen to firefighters’ stories even if we think we are familiar with the job. How about listening to the story of Jae-kyun Oh, one of the firefighters who sacrifices and works hard for citizens. Also, let’s hear a word of encouragement from him to Gachon University students who dream of becoming firefighters.
1. Is there a reason why you chose firefighting among numerous occupations that you can feel rewarded about?
Among many jobs, I think there is nothing more rewarding and happier than protecting others’ lives. So, I decided to become a firefighter.
2. Do you have any experience (Instructor, Clock dealer) that helped you achieve your dream before becoming a firefighter?
Before I was appointed as a firefighter, I did lots of work including part-time jobs. Rather than having one experience that was helpful, I believe having worked in various fields was useful for me to know more about myself. I could choose my current job as a firefighter through those experiences, where I could find out what field of work that I enjoyed, whether working personally or working together.
3. What is the biggest difference you felt before and after becoming a firefighter?
After I was appointed as a firefighter, I realized that a rescue can happen at any time. Emergencies happen, not only on working days but also on off days. One day, I encountered a serious traffic accident while driving. So, I stayed on the scene, looking after the patients until the rescue paramedics arrived.
4. When do you feel your job is most rewarding? Tell me if you have any episodes.
I feel most rewarded when I am appreciated by someone. I have arrived at the scene of a traffic accident and rescued a pregnant woman as safely and quickly as possible. A week later, she expressed her gratitude to me that she could give birth to her own child safely. I felt most rewarded at that time.
5. What is the memorable scene that you were put in?
Although lots of scenes are memorable for me, I especially remember a person who died in a big fire in a detached house. He went to the bathroom to avoid fire because he had a mobility difficulty. We arrived at the scene and rescued as quickly as possible, but unfortunately, he died. If we had arrived more quickly, we would have saved him. So, I still feel sad about the case.
6. It must be very hard psychologically and physically working as a firefighter; do you have any know-how or principles that you can use?
I think I could not save others if I were mentally broken, so I try to go back to my daily life before the accident as much as possible. Also, there are various ways to overcome for firefighters like receiving counseling from experts about PTSD or depression once a year.
7. What do you think is the most necessary quality for a firefighter?
I think we need some warm heart. We can develop our strong stamina and mental strength after being appointed as a firefighter. But I think a warm heart is essential that I can reach out first if I find people in an emergency.
8. Is there anything that people usually misunderstand or don’t know much about firefighters?
It is hard to answer, people around us look at firefighters with that they are sorry for us. However, the equipment and the welfare have been improved a lot. It is our responsibility to give in an emergency, so I hope you look at them with pride rather than a negative view.
9. Please give a word to the Gachon University students who dream of becoming firefighters.
First, I feel grateful for having a dream of having a job to be proud of. It’s a job that people don’t choose easily, but it’s such a happy and rewarding job. I have never regretted choosing this job since I was appointed. If you are a warm-hearted person, you can try it anytime you want. I also hesitated because of the written and practical test. I prepared for the tests for over a year. But I am satisfied with my job although it took such a long time to finally pass of the exams. I always support your dream!
We heard about firefighter Oh Jae-kyun’s story and how he always works for citizens. For this interview, it was a good time to realize individual experiences and curiosities about firefighters. The job of a ‘firefighter’ may be dangerous or require a lot of sacrifices, but I was able to find out that it’s great and rewarding through a conversation with firefighter Oh Jae-kyun. If you want to help people or have a proud job like Oh Jae-kyun, why don’t you take on the challenge of becoming a firefighter?
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