[News Today] Robot, low-floor fire truck save lives

[LEAD]
When a large wildfire broke out recently in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, an unmanned firefighting robot played a key role on the scene.
Advanced equipment like this is now being introduced at disaster sites one after another.
And authorities say these technologies are expected to help save lives in emergencies.

[REPORT]
This is a simulation of a fire inside a subway station.

The first one to be deployed into the thick smoke is a four-legged robot.

It can easily climb high steps.

If you need help, make a noise.

It can locate an injured person even in the dark with a thermal imaging camera and guide rescuers to the right spot.

An underground parking lot is another likely place for a major disaster.

During the Cheongna fire in Incheon two years ago, fire trucks could not enter, allowing the blaze to grow larger.

This incident led to the development of a low-floor fire truck, which was introduced for the first time early this year. It can enter even when the parking garage entrance height is low.

It also has excellent ability to move up and down rough terrain, so it was first deployed in areas with many underground parking garages and steep slopes.

Ahn Woo-seok / Seoul Metropolitan Fire & Disaster HQ
It can enter with firefighters on board to fight fires and act like a commando vehicle, like the turtle ship.

A robot that patrols areas where firefighters cannot easily enter at night and detects fires will also be introduced within this month.

During the recent wildfire in Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, firefighting robots were also used. The use of advanced equipment at disaster response sites is steadily increasing.

The remaining challenges are nationwide supply of these robots and continuous performance upgrades.

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