Fire Agency "Special Alert Duty Conducted Nationwide During Seol Holiday"

Emergency Work System Transition for Rapid Response to Disaster Situations

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The National Fire Agency announced on the 17th that it will conduct special alert duty at fire stations nationwide from 6 p.m. on the 20th to 9 a.m. on the 25th to prevent various disasters such as fires and ensure rapid response during the Gyemyo Year Lunar New Year holiday.

According to an analysis of statistics from the National Fire Information System of the National Fire Agency, a total of 2,887 fires occurred during the special alert duty period over the past five years during the Lunar New Year holiday, and more than half of these, 56.8% (1,640 cases), were caused by carelessness.

During the special alert duty period, fire headquarters in cities and provinces nationwide will deploy maximum available firefighting resources, including firefighters and volunteer firefighters, to conduct pre-inspections of fire risk vulnerabilities in traditional markets and multi-use facilities, strengthen 24-hour monitoring systems, and provide operational information services to local hospitals and pharmacies in preparation for medical institution closures.

Furthermore, an emergency contact system will be established to enable rapid joint response with related agencies such as the police, and emergency rescue response readiness will be enhanced.

In particular, fire vehicles and rescue and emergency medical teams will be pre-positioned in areas where safety accidents are likely due to crowds and concentrated transportation means, such as passenger terminals, train stations, airports, and highway interchanges (toll gates), to enable on-site emergency treatment.

Lee Il, Director of the 119 Response Bureau at the National Fire Agency, urged, “Since many fires occur due to carelessness during the Lunar New Year holiday, we ask for special attention to fire safety even during the holiday period,” and added, “We will do our best to ensure that all citizens can have a comfortable and safe holiday.”