Government Support for Daycare Centers and Hospitals Improving Fire Safety Performance

Support Ends This Year... Applications Must Be Submitted by Year-End

Comparison Before and After Fire Safety Performance Enhancement Work

If fire safety performance reinforcement work is carried out within this year in buildings where casualties are expected in case of fire, such as daycare centers and hospitals, construction costs can be supported.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced on the 21st that it will hold a plaque ceremony at 11 a.m. on the 22nd at Gangseo Daycare Center in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, to express gratitude for participation in the 'Fire Safety Performance Reinforcement Support Project.'

This event was planned to publicize related cases as the government project supporting fire safety performance reinforcement in existing buildings such as daycare centers and hospitals, where large casualties are feared in case of fire, is scheduled to end this year.

The government's fire safety performance reinforcement support project is a temporary support program (from 2019 to the end of 2022) that provides fire safety performance reinforcement costs for existing buildings constructed before the strengthening of fire safety standards, such as the Jecheon complex building fire in 2017 and the Miryang Sejong Hospital fire in 2018, which caused large casualties.

Building owners can choose fire safety reinforcement methods suitable to their conditions, such as sprinklers and application of semi-noncombustible materials on exterior walls. Within a total construction cost of 40 million KRW, the national government and local governments each support one-third of the cost.

Gangseo Daycare Center, completed in 2003, is a facility used by 39 children, with the 2nd and 3rd floors and rooftop, except for the 1st floor, constructed with combustible exterior materials. Through this project, combustible exterior materials vulnerable to fire were removed and reinforced with semi-noncombustible insulation materials, finished with stone, securing evacuation time in case of fire.

Additionally, when replacing exterior materials, insulation materials that meet the building's energy-saving design standards were used to reinforce not only fire safety performance but also insulation performance.

Han Young-sil, director of the daycare center, said, "Through this project, we have been able to protect our children safely from fire, and insulation performance and appearance have also improved," expressing hope that other daycare centers will participate as soon as possible.

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