"If a Fire Breaks Out at Home, You’ll Get a Call; If It’s in the Same Building, You’ll Get a Text"... Register for the 119 Safe Call Service in Advance

[Financial News] If a fire breaks out in the same building of a multi-unit residential complex, residents will receive a text message about the fire and evacuation instructions. If a fire occurs in their own unit, a 119 operator will call them directly and provide evacuation guidance. To receive these services, however, residents must first register their address and contact information with the 119 Safe Call Service.
The National Fire Agency (NFA) announced on the 8th that it will conduct a nationwide promotional campaign for the 119 Safe Call Service from September through October in cooperation with provincial and metropolitan fire headquarters across the country.
The 119 Safe Call Service allows users to register their address, health information, and emergency contacts in advance. When an emergency occurs, 119 uses the information to provide rescue, emergency medical assistance, and fire-evacuation support.
The service’s scope has expanded, particularly with the full implementation of its fire-evacuation guidance function this year. When a fire report is received, the 119 Comprehensive Situation Room automatically cross-checks the reported address against 119 Safe Call registration data. If a subscriber resides in the unit where the fire occurred, an operator calls the resident directly to check their current location, safety, and ability to evacuate, then provides evacuation instructions. If the call cannot be connected, the registered emergency contact is notified.
In multi-unit residential complexes, subscribers and their emergency contacts who live in the same building where a fire has occurred are notified by text message about the fire and necessary evacuation information.
The system does not automatically notify all residents whenever a fire occurs nearby. Addresses and contact information must be registered with the 119 Safe Call Service in advance.
The fire-evacuation guidance function was piloted for one month beginning March 30 and has been available nationwide through 119 Comprehensive Situation Rooms since May 1. Existing subscribers can use the function without submitting a separate application. New users must sign up for the 119 Safe Call Service.
The 119 Safe Call Service began in 2008, primarily for older adults, people with disabilities, and others who require emergency medical services. Its coverage was expanded in 2023 to residents of areas at risk of flooding and in 2025 to children who may have difficulty evacuating on their own during a fire, among others.
The NFA will offer registration assistance via QR codes at historic sites, traditional markets, and local festival venues, along with programs such as true-or-false quizzes and sharing registration pages with family and acquaintances. 
Joo Young-kook, director of the NFA’s 119 Response Bureau, said, "The 119 Safe Call Service helps 119 respond in emergencies by knowing citizens’ information in advance." He added, "Please register in advance for your own and your family’s safety, and actively inform your parents and people around you as well."


[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter