In response to devastating wildfires in South Korea, Direct Relief has committed $30,000 in emergency funds to support response activities, including emergency medicine personnel deployed in fire-impacted communities.
The blazes have claimed the lives of at least 30 people and destroyed nearly 4,000 structures. Though the last of the fires in the South Gyeongsang Province were extinguished Sunday, thousands are still in evacuation shelters and displaced from their homes.
The funding will support the emergency response and recovery efforts of Peace Winds Korea, a disaster response and humanitarian organization currently responding to the fires in South Korea.
“Direct Relief is deeply concerned for those in South Korea impacted by these devastating wildfires,” said Dr. Byron Scott, CEO of Direct Relief. “The tragic toll on human life, health, and the landscape, including treasured cultural sites, is profound. Our hearts go out to those experiencing these fires, and Direct Relief will do all it can to support this response and recovery.”
Peace Winds Korea has been providing emergency food, supplies, and other material aid to evacuees and first responders – in partnership with the Asia Pacific Alliance for Disaster Management, or APAD.
On March 28, the Peace Winds Korea emergency teams were joined by the Peace Winds Japan Airborne Rescue & Relief Operations With Search, or ARROWS, disaster response team, who will be supporting their efforts for at least a seven-day period. ARROWS is the airborne search and rescue division of the Peace Winds network, comprised of medical professionals, rescue personnel, and disaster relief dogs.
“Thanks to Direct Relief’s support, Peace Winds ARROWS nurses trained in emergency medicine have been able to deploy alongside of the Peace Winds Korea disaster response team, which has been on site since the start of the fires,” said Dr. Inaba Mototaka, who leads the ARROWS team. “They have provided critical support to evacuees experiencing the worst days of their lives, at a time when local capacity is stretched too thin.”
In addition to medical support, the organization has been aiding those impacted by the fires, including those not yet admitted to evacuation centers, by providing meals, bottled water, emergency supplies, and referral to healthcare facilities. They are coordinating with local authorities to supplement services at evacuation services through the distribution of PPE, fresh clothing, and other essential items. As the ARROWS team determines medical needs and gaps in support, they will determine what medical supplies and medications are required at the evacuation centers.
The organization is also supporting firefighters from the Korea Forest Service and other first responders with bottled water, food, and other supplies. Community recovery, including psychosocial support activities to aid evacuees before and during their transition out of evacuation centers, will be a high priority in coming days.
