Ten ambulances that have responded to approximately 100,000 calls and saved the lives of over 60,000 people in Chungnam and Daejeon are heading to Laos to carry out their second mission of protecting the lives of the Lao people.

The Chungnam Fire Service Headquarters held a send-off ceremony for the ambulances bound for Laos on the 20th at the Multipurpose Plaza of the Provincial Office, with about 400 people attending, including Governor Kim Tae-heum, Provincial Council Construction and Fire Committee Chairman Ko Gwang-cheol, and Nanum Culture and Arts Association Chairman Yoo Hyun-sook.

The ambulance support is a measure following the memorandum of understanding for strengthening friendly cooperation signed between the province and the Lao government in December 2022. In the meantime, the province has supported a total of 32 ambulances to Laos, including 15 in 2023 and 17 last year, which have passed the legal usage period but have no problems in operation.

The Fire Service Headquarters decided to send a total of 10 units, including 7 units that were active in each fire station in the province and 3 units that were deployed in fire stations in the Daejeon area, with this ambulance support promoted at the request of the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.

The ambulances, produced in 2018, have been dispatched a total of 104,417 times, transporting 66,242 people, and have traveled a distance of 2,518,312 km.

The Fire Service Headquarters meticulously refurbished the ambulances at the Chungcheongnam-do Fire Equipment Education and Management Center, inspecting and replacing all consumables such as tires, batteries, and various oils.

At the same time, the Fire Service Headquarters is expanding support for fire equipment necessary for ambulance and fire suppression activities, such as special fire suits, safety gloves, fire hoods, safety vests, and flashlights, to 7 types and 520 items.

The shipped ambulances and fire equipment are scheduled to be shipped from Incheon Port at the end of this month and delivered to the Lao Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare in March.

In addition, the Fire Service Headquarters plans to visit the Lao region where the supported ambulances are deployed to provide simple maintenance and equipment operation technology transfer so that the ambulances can be operated normally.

Governor Kim Tae-heum said, "It is meaningful that our ambulances, which have saved the lives of more than 66,000 people over the past five years, will be active for the Lao people."

He added, "Ambulances are more helpful to Laos, which lacks medical resources, as they are directly related to the golden time of survival at the scene of accidents and disasters."

"We will continue to provide various support, including ambulances, police cars, desks and chairs, computers, medical volunteer groups, and Saemaul Undong, to contribute to the development of Laos."

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