The courage of those who believe that "unemployment is necessary for the people to prosper."

(Dan Tri Newspaper) - When facing dangerous missions, firefighters always think about how to ensure the safety of people's lives and property, even when they are covered in injuries and facing death.

In the freezing cold of -7 degrees Celsius in Türkiye, Major Nguyen Huu Dao (43 years old) felt like he was "half dead" when he slept in a makeshift tent erected after the earthquake disaster in the country.

Major Dao is one of five officers sent by the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department (PC07) of the Ho Chi Minh City Police to Türkiye to participate in international search and rescue operations following the earthquake.

With only an hour to receive the news and prepare for deployment, the young soldier only had time to say goodbye to his family over the phone while on his way to the airport.

Before they could recover from the harsh weather, the team had to travel for 10 hours in heavy snowfall and slippery roads. "I've never been to a place this cold in my life," he said.

At 3:30 AM on February 11th (Turkish time), the delegation arrived in Adiyaman. Dao quickly ate a sandwich, then joined his teammates at the collapsed three-story building.

Having determined that 10 people were buried under the rubble, the team quickly used specialized equipment brought from Vietnam and the assistance of heavy machinery from the host country, such as excavators and bulldozers, to conduct a search for the victims.

After 11 hours of non-stop work, the team gradually reached the victims. "We shouted 'hello,' 'how are you?' and luckily heard a response from the victims," ​​Major Dao recalled.

Digging with machines, and sometimes using their hands, Dao and his teammates ventured deeper inside as rubble threatened to collapse above their heads. Finally, the soldiers were overwhelmed with joy when they grasped the hand of a 14-year-old boy, successfully rescuing him from the debris.

"Many times, after completing a mission and rescuing someone, I would sit down to rest and reflect, wondering why I was so brave to do that job," Major Dao mused.

On the flight back to his homeland after 10 days of duty, Dao glanced out the window. In that moment, the soldier felt a bitter taste in his throat. He was moved by the tragic scene he had witnessed, and moved by the fact that he himself had survived and returned home.

A profession with no set return date.

Major Nguyen Huu Dao (43 years old) has worked for over 20 years at the Fire Prevention and Rescue Team Area 1, under PC07.

Mr. Dao said that this was a dangerous job. He had narrowly escaped death countless times, but the Major only considered it a funny anecdote to tell.

Recounting his near-death experiences, the firefighter suddenly burst into laughter, feeling he was still somewhat fortunate. For example, during a firefighting mission at Pouyuen Co., Ltd. (Ho Chi Minh City), he and his teammates were only a few seconds slower, and a collapsing wall could have crushed them.

"As a firefighter, the dangerous nature of the job is something you have to accept. This profession doesn't allow for predictions, promises, or predetermined return dates. Once you're on duty, you don't care about your own life; you just focus on saving lives and preventing the fire from spreading," he said.

Mr. Dao has two young children. Every time he leaves the house, he always says goodbye to his wife and two children with simple words. Sometimes he has to wake up in the middle of the night or can't answer the phone while on duty, which worries his wife and children, but they are incredibly understanding of their husband and father.

Having moved from Thanh Hoa to Ho Chi Minh City to start a new life 30 years ago, Mr. Dao only thought about finding some kind of job to make ends meet. But after working as a construction worker for a while, he volunteered for military service in 2003 and officially pursued a career in firefighting after 3 years of training.

"I didn't dare tell my family because everyone was worried and tried to dissuade me. I just brushed it off because I felt this work was so meaningful and the people still needed me," Dao confided.

Recalling his first assignment, Nguyen Huu Dao remembers being haunted by the desperate cries for help.

"The fire engulfed the boarding house, cries for help were everywhere, people were running in and out constantly, I was terrified and overwhelmed. But after seeing my teammates rush into the fire, I immediately regained my composure and quickly carried out my duties as I had been trained. At that moment, all I wanted was to save as many people as possible, I no longer worried about my own life," Dao recalled.

As the cries for help grew louder, he and his teammates realized they needed to remain calm to be a source of support for the people. In his first mission, Dao recalled breathing a sigh of relief because, fortunately, there were no casualties.

During his missions, he was deeply moved when locals brought him bread, bottled water, or even cooked noodles to treat the entire team. After taking a sip of the cool water offered by the villagers, Dao called it "magical water" because it instantly revitalized him.

"In moments like these, I appreciate even more and realize how significant my work is. The people recognize that, so there's no reason for me to falter. I tell myself I must try even harder to serve the people," the firefighter said with satisfaction.

90 "golden" seconds and the dilemma of a firefighter.

Just recently, while kicking open the bathroom door as flames engulfed a small house in Ho Chi Minh City, Major Nguyen Huu Dao was stunned to discover four bodies lying in an embrace. "The most heartbreaking thing is that three adults were trying to protect a child," the Major said, his voice choked with emotion.

For three days after that mission, Dao was restless. Because in that smoke-filled room, the window leading to the next house was only a dozen steps from the bathroom. Yet, the victim hadn't been calm enough to escape.

That was just one of the firefighting and rescue operations that the Major regrets the most. He constantly blames himself for not being able to save innocent civilians.

"Soldiers like us are always concerned about how to educate the public, ensuring they understand and grasp the knowledge about fire prevention, firefighting, and escaping from fires. Whether the fire is big or small, the public plays a crucial role in the initial response," said Dao.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Minh Trang, Deputy Team Leader of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Team (PC07), shared that a firefighter's day revolves around high-intensity training sessions. Through these sessions, they acquire skills and a fearless spirit.

Whenever a fire alarm is received, soldiers must leave their unit within 90 "golden" seconds. En route, the soldiers will work together to identify the type of fire, the location of the fire, whether the fire is spreading, or if anyone is trapped, in order to deploy immediately from their vehicles.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Minh Trang was still choked with emotion when recalling the fire at the ITC building (International Trade Center) 15 years ago, which killed 60 people and injured 200.

The building was engulfed in thick smoke and flames. The sight of innocent people panicking and jumping from the upper floors is a memory Trang will never forget.

Furthermore, Trang recounted that he was also haunted by a fire 15 years ago, about a mother who, overwhelmed by her son's drug addiction, chained him up and set herself on fire.

"The time I participated in firefighting at such a young age was when I had the most concerns. I was very scared then, but the fear stemmed from witnessing so many people die without being able to stop it. I only hope that people are equipped with sufficient knowledge of fire prevention and firefighting when a fire occurs," the Lieutenant Colonel confided.

Besides the concerns about their profession, firefighters say that although the work is arduous, it also significantly affects their health. In the end, they remain committed to the profession as long as their eyesight remains good and their hands don't tremble.

However, sometimes the whole unit would joke and burst into laughter: "As Uncle Ho advised, we must be unemployed so that the people can live in prosperity."

Photos: Provided by the subject; Hoang Huong; Reuters

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