Gyeonggi-do, Limitations in Past Disaster Situation Management... Introduction of New Management System

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province will operate sector-specific situation rooms for roads, rivers, construction sites, forests, agriculture, and housing in addition to the current disaster response system centered on the disaster situation room to respond to the climate crisis. This is a measure to strengthen real-time response capabilities.

On the 17th, Gyeonggi Province announced that it has established a "Comprehensive Flood and Wind Disaster Countermeasure" plan and will implement 11 tasks as part of the summer flood and wind disaster comprehensive countermeasures.

This year, Gyeonggi Province experienced record rainfall due to intensified abnormal climate, and it recognized the limitations of the current disaster response method based on past weather data, deciding to pursue a fundamental change in the disaster response system to improve it.

First, Gyeonggi Province will reorganize the disaster situation management system. Previously, pre-inspections of facilities were handled by the relevant departments, and during emergencies, the disaster situation room centered on the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters responded. However, it was found difficult to respond quickly to sudden disaster situations. Therefore, going forward, related departments will form and operate their own sector-specific situation rooms as working groups that can share real-time disaster information with the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for roads, rivers, construction sites, forests, agriculture, housing, and other sectors.

Additionally, the operation system of the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters will be significantly strengthened. The emergency level 1 activation criteria, which currently operate when heavy rain advisories are issued in 11 or more cities/counties or heavy rain warnings in 4 to 15 cities/counties, will be changed to heavy rain advisories in 7 cities/counties or heavy rain warnings in 3 to 6 cities/counties. Accordingly, the criteria for emergency duty will also be revised.

Furthermore, to strengthen on-site execution during disasters, the emergency level criteria and personnel status of the city/county Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, which play a practical role, will be inspected and confirmed. If necessary, appropriate standard plans will be prepared to ensure the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters can operate without discrepancies between cities/counties.

In particular, to reinforce on-site responses such as control and evacuation, police personnel will be supported and assigned to the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters starting from emergency level 1.

Gyeonggi Province will also strengthen management of areas at risk of human casualties. These areas are specially designated and managed by cities/counties as locations or facilities with accident risks during heavy rain. However, since the designation criteria were not specific, leading to passive or arbitrary designation by cities/counties, a "Special Task Force (TF) for Strengthening Management of Areas at Risk of Human Casualties" was formed. Through this, detailed guidelines for key management targets will be created so that cities/counties can manage them under unified standards, and areas not previously managed as risk zones will be additionally designated as risk areas.

Gyeonggi Province will break away from the existing disaster prevention projects centered on central government national funding and promote disaster prevention projects utilizing the Gyeonggi Province Disaster Management Fund. For example, a new early warning system will be established that links various sensors such as water level gauges, inclinometers, and displacement meters with information and communication technology (ICT) to enable immediate response when warning signs occur. Previously, these were only installed on steep slopes and reservoirs. The province plans to expand installation to embankments of rivers at risk of flooding and aging facilities. Through joint investigations by the province and cities/counties, disaster CCTVs will be expanded, and a full survey of disaster warning and alert facilities will be conducted to install nighttime lighting and replace high-performance cameras.

Oh Byeong-kwon, the first deputy governor of Gyeonggi Province, said, "It is problematic to respond to future heavy rain and typhoons caused by ongoing abnormal climate based on past standards. Although these are natural disasters, if we strengthen the disaster situation management system and respond actively to prevent human casualties, we expect that residents will be able to enjoy their daily lives in a safer environment."

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