Geochang-gun Holds Fire Monitoring and Suppression Personnel Launch Ceremony for a Fire-Free Geochang

On the 15th, Geochang-gun, Gyeongnam Province, held a launching ceremony for a fire-free Geochang in the 2023 autumn and 2024 spring seasons at the Geochang-gun Comprehensive Social Welfare Center, with over 200 participants including the specialized wildfire prevention and suppression team and wildfire monitors, officially beginning full-scale wildfire prevention activities.

In the evaluation of wildfire prevention and response during the 2022 autumn and 2023 spring seasons, the county was selected as the ‘Best’ institution in Gyeongsangnam-do, achieving a remarkable success. This year, they took the first step toward being selected as the best institution for two consecutive years by achieving ‘zero wildfire occurrences.’

Geochang-gun Wildfire Monitoring and Suppression Personnel Launch Ceremony.

At the launching ceremony, a resolution was read to protect the lives and property of residents from wildfires and to safeguard precious forests. Additionally, a meeting with wildfire officers from all towns and townships and job training for lookout monitors were conducted.

County Governor Gu In-mo said, “Prevention is the best measure against wildfires,” and urged, “Please do your best to ensure that not a single wildfire occurs during the wildfire season by establishing thorough monitoring activities and an initial suppression system.”

He added, “I hope the specialized wildfire prevention and suppression team and wildfire monitors prioritize safety and actively engage in monitoring and suppression activities.”

Meanwhile, Geochang-gun has designated the period from November 1, 2023, to May 15, 2024, as a special wildfire prevention period. To respond swiftly to wildfire monitoring and initial suppression, they have hired over 200 wildfire monitoring and suppression personnel, conducted thorough inspections of wildfire suppression vehicles and equipment, and organized emergency contact networks across all towns, townships, and related organizations, putting full effort into wildfire prevention.

Furthermore, they plan to actively implement various promotional activities such as hanging banners for wildfire prevention, monitoring and educating against unauthorized burning of rice paddies and fields, and removing flammable materials adjacent to forests.