Fire-Related Casualties Up 33% Year-on-Year This Year... Seoul Fire Department Promotes Comprehensive Improvements from Fire Report Reception to Rescue Operations

'Evacuate First in Case of Fire' Intensive Promotion
Encouraging Evacuation First from 119 Report Reception Stage... On-site Commander Tracks and Manages Until Rescue
Training Tailored to Regional Characteristics of Each Fire Station, Introduction of Real Fire Training Facilities and Small Ladder Trucks

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 14th that it will implement improvement measures across all firefighting activities, from fire report reception to rescue operations, in response to the increase in casualties caused by fires this year.

According to the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters, the total number of fire incidents from January to August this year was 3,333, a 2.7% (92 cases) decrease compared to 3,425 cases during the same period last year. On the other hand, casualties caused by fires increased by 33.5% (54 people) to 215 this year from 161 last year. In particular, casualties from residential fires up to August this year reached 146 (19 deaths, 127 injuries), an increase of 44 people (43.1%) compared to the same period last year.

Accordingly, the Fire & Disaster Headquarters will promote improvement measures throughout the entire process?from early evacuation of residents during fires, report reception, on-site response, to command systems?to minimize fire casualties.

First, to increase the survival rate of residents during residential fires, the campaign will focus on promoting “Evacuate first when there is a fire” and “Close the front door when evacuating.” Fire cases and response methods will be regularly communicated to residents through community leaders’ councils and residents’ representative meetings, and actively promoted on social networking services (SNS). Additionally, in cooperation with the Office of Education, fire safety education for elementary and middle school students will be expanded.

At the 119 emergency call reception stage, efforts will focus on guiding resident evacuation and improving the situation management system. Information about residents in crisis during fires will be prioritized and provided to 119 on-site personnel, and the on-site commander will track and manage rescue targets until they are rescued.

With an emphasis on balancing quarantine and daily life, training conducted in private buildings and other locations will be gradually expanded. Each fire station will operate a training planning team to improve training by reflecting the unique characteristics of their jurisdiction. The fire station chief will oversee training plans and evaluations and conduct unannounced on-site drills monthly.

Furthermore, to strengthen the capabilities of on-site firefighters, a live fire training system will be established, and by 2024, multi-purpose rescue training centers will be installed at 13 fire stations lacking training facilities. The live fire training system is a facility that generates fires using combustible materials to conduct training amid heat and smoke, with construction plans to be prepared through feasibility studies in 2022.

To reduce casualties from residential fires, fire trucks with high usability in areas with narrow vehicle access roads will also be introduced. The target vehicles are ladder pump trucks and small articulated ladder trucks. Starting next year, they will be distributed considering conditions such as densely populated residential areas by region.

In addition, the Fire & Disaster Headquarters will promote a 3D indoor spatial database construction project for facilities with high risk of casualties in fires, such as nursing hospitals. Three-dimensional indoor maps will be created for 68 elderly welfare facilities to be utilized in rescue operations.

Choi Tae-young, head of the Seoul Fire & Disaster Headquarters, stated, “We will actively promote awareness of the risks and countermeasures for disasters such as fires and devote all efforts of Seoul Fire from report reception to rescue operations,” and added, “We ask for everyone’s interest and cooperation to protect the precious lives of citizens from fires.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.