A silent emergency call to the fire department and a firefighter's persistent efforts to track it have saved a fading life.
The report to the 119 General Dispatch Center of the Sejong Fire Headquarters came in at around 6:50 p.m. on Sunday (October 25), but no sound could be heard through the receiver.
Fire Sergeant Lim Dong-gyun, who received the call, heard faint breathing continuing within the silence on the other end of the phone. Determining that it was not a simple misdial, he continued trying to prompt a response.
However, the other party was completely unable to express themselves, and even the mobile phone location information system was turned off, making it impossible to identify the address.
Sensing the urgency of the situation, Fire Sergeant Lim figured out the approximate location through a cell tower query based on the mobile phone connection logs.
He then contacted the head of the local village to inquire if there was anyone with health difficulties, but only received a negative response.
With the tracking of the reporter making slow progress, Fire Sergeant Lim fortunately learned from a police liaison officer on duty with him that the reporter's phone number had also been used to call 112, allowing him to pinpoint the address.
Although the call kept dropping intermittently, Fire Sergeant Lim called back to check if the reporter was conscious, and emergency rescue crews arrived at around 7:18 p.m., 26 minutes after the initial report was received.
The reporter, in their 60s, was slurring their words and complaining of dizziness at the time. The rescue team transported the patient to a hospital in Chungbuk after providing first aid.
The tireless efforts of the firefighter who did not miss a minor crisis signal and the seamless cooperation between related agencies successfully secured the golden time for rescuing a stroke patient.
The Sejong Fire Headquarters urged, "In an emergency situation, even if it is difficult to speak, keeping the line open without hanging up greatly helps in securing the golden time."
Reported by Son Hyeong-an | Video by Ahn Jun-hyeok | Design by Yang Hye-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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