Jeju Fire Headquarters Issues 'Spring Mountain Safety Accident Warning'

Published 11 Apr.2024 11:30(KST)

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Fire Safety Headquarters issued an early mountain safety accident advisory on the 12th in response to the increase in safety accidents during the spring season, when the number of visitors to Hallasan and Oreum rises.

Mountain Safety Accident Card News. [Photo by Jeju Fire Headquarters]

According to the Jeju Fire Headquarters on the 11th, over the past five years (2019?2023), there have been a total of 1,660 mountain safety accidents in the province, averaging 332 cases annually, with the highest number occurring in spring, accounting for 36.3% (603 cases) due to increased hiking activity.

The accident rate on Saturdays and Sundays was 36.0% (598 cases), showing a higher frequency of accidents on weekends compared to weekdays, and 40.9% (680 cases) mainly occurred during daytime hours (12 PM to 3 PM).

By cause, excluding others, mountain safety accidents due to being lost accounted for the largest portion at 48.5% (805 cases), followed by slips and falls at 12.3% (205 cases), personal illness at 11.6% (193 cases), and exhaustion and dehydration at 3.6% (60 cases).

By region, the eastern eup and myeon areas recorded the highest number of accidents at 40.1% (665 cases).

Accordingly, the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters is focusing on mountain accident safety measures by issuing safety accident advisories and establishing a rapid response posture to prevent casualties caused by mountain safety accidents.

In high-accident mountain areas, mountain safety guardians are operated jointly with volunteer fire brigades, and customized special rescue training and hazard recognition training are being conducted using fire helicopters, drones, and search and rescue dogs according to accident types.

Additionally, intensive inspections and management of safety facilities in hazardous areas are carried out, along with multifaceted promotional activities for safe hiking, strengthening the safety accident prevention system through close cooperation with related organizations.

Gominja, head of the Fire Safety Headquarters, stated, “Spring is a season with many risk factors for accidents due to the increase in hikers and the thawing period, so special caution is required. Especially since mountain accidents can lead to severe damage, prevention is the best measure, and adhering to safety rules is of utmost importance.”