Hyundai Motor Group
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SAFE MOVE
2024.08.29

현대자동차그룹

Hyundai Motor Group Support Bus for Firefighter’s Recovery

A Special Bus for Everyday Heroes,
Support Bus for Firefighter’s Recovery

“Everyone, make sure the fire is completely suppressed and return safely with no casualties, do you copy?”
“Copy that!”


This is a scene from the campaign video ‘Got Your Back?,’ showcasing the Hydrogen fuel cell bus provided by Hyundai Motor Group to encourage firefighters dispatched to disaster sites to get enough rest, and refresh themselves before continuing their duties.

‘Do you copy?’ and ‘Copy that.’ are radio abbreviations meaning ‘Do you understand?’ and ‘Understood,’ respectively. In the video, a senior firefighter with 33 years of experience imparts to junior firefighters that protecting their own lives and getting enough rest to avoid fatigue are just as important as saving the lives of others.

Following this advice, the scene transitions to firefighters taking a brief yet revitalizing rest in a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell bus in the midst of battling fierce flames and smoke in extremely dangerous conditions.
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From the First Bus in Gyeongbuk to the Tenth in Chungbuk, Ten Customized Vehicles Donated Nationwide
The special bus featured in the video is the 8th Support Bus for Recovery, donated by Hyundai Motor Group to the Jeju Island Fire Department last June. Earlier, in March 2023, Hyundai Motor Group pledged to provide 8 Support Buses for Recovery at the ‘First Together Sharing Project’ event hosted by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Before this, only 10 vehicles were available in all of South Korea to allow firefighters to rest while fighting fires or providing disaster relief. Recognizing this gap, Hyundai Motor Group provided a total of 10 Support Buses for Recovery—one to each of 10 provincial and metropolitan fire departments nationwide, including Gyeongbuk, Gangwon, Incheon, Jeonbuk, Chungnam, Ulsan, Jeju, Daegu, and Chungbuk— rolled out sequentially through 2025.

Support Buses for Recovery are premium custom vehicles specially designed based on Hyundai Motor Group’s mobile office, ‘Universe Mobile Office,’ and actively reflect the opinions of on-site firefighters throughout the vehicle manufacturing process, including the interior and exterior design, and specifications.
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The most important aspect to consider when developing these buses to support firefighters as the recover was usability.
To ensure that exhausted firefighters can rest comfortably at disaster sites and easily make use of the vehicles’ various features, the layout was designed taking into account the flow of movement within the interior space.

Hyundai Motor Group, Senior Manager Kyung Tae-hyun
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The Optimal Interior Layout, Accommodating the Flow of Movement and On-Site Conditions
First, the vehicles’ exterior is designed to allow firefighters to clean off after fighting fires or performing rescues. Air and water guns located in the cargo area can be used by firefighters to clean off their gear, which can then be stored on fire suit hangers and in shoe dryers. Firefighters can then board the bus directly, optimizing the flow of movement.

Meanwhile, the interior of the vehicles is divided into individual rest areas, cooking spaces, and meeting spaces (this data is based on the hydrogen fuel cell bus). The eight individual rest areas are designed to afford firefighters some privacy while encouraging them to let go and rest, consisting of premium reclining seats to allow for comfortable relaxation, each equipped with entertainment displays, charging outlets, and personal storage.

In the center of the interior, there is a cooking space where firefighters can replenish lost fluids and calories, while the innermost meeting area contains a ‘ㄷ’-shaped sofa, folding tables, a 52-inch display, and a video conferencing system, allowing it to function as a field command center.

Cleaning the ash and dust that the vehicles will be exposed to at disaster sites was also carefully considered in their design. All interior materials and furniture, including walls, floors, and seats, are made from durable, contamination-resistant materials, to ensure that the space stays comfortable for firefighters over long periods.
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Better Than Imagined: A First-Class Rest Space
Firefighters’ reactions to the rest and recovery vehicles have been overwhelmingly positive. At the delivery ceremony for the hydrogen fuel cell bus, held in June 2024 at the CFI (Carbon Free Island) Energy Future Center in Jeju City, firefighters from Gangwon, Incheon, and Jeju fire departments described their experience as “even better than imagined”.

“The interior of the vehicle feels like the first-class section on an airplane. The wireless phone charging and mirroring functions at each seat are particularly popular among firefighters from the MZ-generation.”

Firefighter Lee Ju-hee, who was the project manager for the rest and recovery vehicles at the National Fire Agency, reported that there has been tremendous pressure from fire departments in regions that were not part of the project to receive their own the rest and recovery vehicles.
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Reliable Support at Any Disaster Site
Firefighter recovery support vehicles deployed across cities and provinces nationwide are used not only at fire scenes, but also in a wide range of situations—including missing-person searches, water and mountain rescues, and heatwave response. Notably, during the Jeju Air disaster in December 2024, these vehicles were mobilized to the scene, playing a vital role in supporting the physical and emotional well-being of the deployed firefighters. Looking ahead, the Hyundai Motor Group will continue to reinforce firefighter health and recovery by providing vehicles and rehabilitation equipment to the National Fire Hospital—Korea’s first hospital dedicated to firefighters—scheduled to open in 2026 in Chungbuk Innovation City.
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Hyundai Motor Group will continue to provide attention and support to ensure that the heroes who protect our people can perform their duties safely without getting tired.

Hyundai Motor Group, Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun
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