● S-OIL CEO Nasser Al-Mahasher awarded a prize of 90 million won to Fire Lieutenant Um Jin-yong and seven other firefighters.
   - For nine years, the refiner has run the Hero Firefighters Support Program to boost firefighters’ morale and to help stabilize the living conditions of firefighters.

S-OIL held the “2014 Hero Firefighters Awards” ceremony at the auditorium of Seocho Fire Station in Seoul on Dec. 18 and presented plaques of appreciation and a prize of 90 million won to eight firefighters, who were selected as “Hero Firefighters.” The ceremony was attended by about 100 people, including S-OIL CEO Nasser Al-Mahasher, Commissioner Jo Song-rae of the Central Fire Service, Chairman Cha Heung-bong of the Korea National Council on Social Welfare (KNCSW), award winners and their families, and officials from award winners’ fire stations. 

At the ceremony, S-OIL awarded a plaque of appreciation and a prize of 20 million won to Fire Lieutenant Um Jin-yong (39, Onsan Fire Station in Ulsan) named as the “Best Hero Firefighter” on the recommendation of the Ministry of Public Safety and Security and the KNCSW and it gave a plaque of appreciation and a prize of 10 million won to Fire Sergeant Bang Gyeong-ho (35, National 119 Rescue Headquarters) and six other firefighters.

Fire Lieutenant Um, who was named the honorable Best Hero Firefighter, joined the firefighting force in 1995 and has rescued 409 people over 19 years in 786 activities controlling the leakage of hazardous chemicals and putting out fires, along with participating in 654 rescue and first aid operations. Also, he contributed greatly to strengthening safety management by establishing a disaster response system for underground pipes in a national industrial complex for the first time in Korea.  

This year’s ceremony paid particular attention to firefighters who exhibited full commitment to their duty and showed the spirit of sacrifice to rescue people in danger in devastating, large-scale accidents. In the sea where the Sewol ferry sank, Fire Sergeant Bang Gyeong-ho (35, National 119 Rescue Headquarters) conducted diving operations for a long period of time and recovered ten or so victims. Fire Lieutenant Kim Yong-duk (41, Busan Special Rescue Service) conducted rescue operations promptly at the time of the collapse at the Mauna Ocean Resort in Gyeongju. Fire Sergeant Jang Gyeong-geun (45, Damyang Fire Station in South Jeolla Province) opened doors swiftly when a fire broke out in a geriatric hospital in Jangseong-gun and saved precious lives. Accordingly, these seven firefighters were named Hero Firefighters.

“Whenever I hear news of a fire, which breaks out more often in the cold winter, I feel deeply touched and have great gratitude for firefighters and their amazing instinct to jump into the flame to rescue people and for devoting all their energy to put out the fire,” said S-OIL CEO Nasser Al-Mahasher. “The S-OIL Hero Firefighters Awards that has continued on for nine years is meant to send our respect and appreciation to firefighters who sacrifice themselves to protect other people’s lives and property as well as their families.” 

Since 2006, S-OIL has held its Hero Firefighters Awards ceremony every year to reward dedicated firefighters who have risked their own lives on numerous occasions to rescue people in danger.