Qui (born in 1988, Tra Cau Ward, Quang Ngai) has lived and worked in Japan for 14 years. He is a structural design engineer for residential buildings, previously working in Hiroshima City, and currently lives with his wife and 8-year-old son in Toyama City.

During his years in Japan, Qui has participated in many community volunteer activities, such as picking up litter in his neighborhood, cleaning parks, pruning trees, and cutting tall branches for elderly neighbors.

In 2018, the area where he lived was hit by a storm that disrupted residents' lives. Qui formed a volunteer group to help people clean their homes and surrounding areas so they could rebuild their lives.

For him, community volunteer work has special meaning. It not only gives him motivation in life but also serves as a practical lesson for his children about the importance of being useful to others.

"Japan is a country prone to natural disasters such as heavy rain, landslides, storms and earthquakes.

"Living in such a country, we need to equip ourselves with the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for disasters. That is why I take part in volunteer activities - to gain life experience while helping local communities and foreigners living in Japan," Qui said.

Knowing that the Vietnamese engineer regularly participated in local volunteer activities, his neighbor, a retired member of the local firefighting team, invited him early in 2026 to join the volunteer firefighting team in Toyama.

Seeing it as a meaningful activity, Qui decided to apply. The firefighting team leader then came to his home to guide him through the application process.

His wife, Thu Hien, was initially quite worried because the work involved risks. However, after understanding her husband's desire to contribute to the community, she supported his decision.

In early April 2026, Qui officially began firefighting training. Every day, he woke up at 4:30am to go to the training site, then returned home at 6:30am before heading to work. His workday lasted until 6pm, and on some days he worked overtime until 10pm.

"The training period was quite demanding because we had to prepare for a city-level competition between firefighting teams.

"Every movement had to be practiced until it became second nature, with team members coordinating smoothly. Every step had to be precise to match the length of the water hose, the angle of movement and the direction of the water jet. Team members also had to withstand the strong pressure from the hose when spraying water, which lasted about five minutes at a pressure of around 30kg," Qui recalled.

An interesting incident

After a month of training, Qui officially became a member of the city's volunteer firefighting team.

As a volunteer, he prioritizes his personal and professional commitments and takes part in firefighting activities when needed during his free time. The main emergency duties are handled by the professional fire service.

Qui said the local volunteer firefighting force plays an important role when large-scale natural disasters occur. For example, an earthquake could cause gas leaks and explosions, triggering fires at multiple locations. In such cases, a large force is needed to patrol areas at risk of fires and explosions.

"Under the law, foreigners are not allowed to take part in frontline firefighting activities such as directly entering a fire while holding a water hose.

"I will provide support from the rear, evacuate residents or interpret for Vietnamese people when requested by local authorities," Qui said.

At present, he works from 7am to 10pm every day. Each month, he spends two days accompanying the fire truck on patrols, covering local roads for about an hour before handing over to a colleague. Despite his busy schedule, he still makes time for these patrols.

In early August 2026, a fire was reported in the area where he lived. After receiving the alert from his teammates, Qui rushed to the scene to help, only to find that nothing had happened. He then learned that it was merely a training exercise. It was one of the more amusing situations he has encountered since joining the city's volunteer firefighting team.

Over the months, Qui has found plenty of joy in his new role, including his colleagues’ enthusiastic guidance, the attention of city officials, many new friends, and the affection of his neighbors.

Thanh Minh