Opened on April 11, 2023 ~ January 2, a total of 389 people protected through center operations
Joint duty of 6 police officers and 3 firefighters inside the center, collaboration among 4 agencies
The Busan Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee reported that from its opening on April 11 last year until January 2 of this year, the 'Busan Metropolitan Drunkenness Relief Center' protected a total of 389 intoxicated individuals.
Located within Busan Medical Center, the 'Busan Metropolitan Drunkenness Relief Center' is a public relief facility for intoxicated persons newly established in April last year through collaboration among four institutions: the Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee, the Metropolitan Police Agency, the Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and Busan Medical Center.
Six police officers and three firefighters work jointly at this center. ▲The police are responsible for protecting and managing intoxicated individuals, while ▲the firefighters measure vital signs (such as blood pressure) of intoxicated persons and transfer them to the emergency room if necessary.
In particular, paramedics dispatched from the fire department hold qualifications as nurses or emergency medical technicians, continuously monitoring the condition of intoxicated individuals and, if medical intervention is required, can immediately request treatment at the emergency room of Busan Medical Center located next to the center.
The center protects intoxicated individuals who are reported via 112 or 119 calls and who are too intoxicated to return home on their own and cannot be handed over to their guardians.
Since its opening on April 11 last year and over approximately nine months of operation, the center has protected a total of 389 intoxicated individuals, of whom 318 returned home voluntarily, 45 were handed over to guardians, and 26 were transferred to hospitals.
To ensure the safe protection of intoxicated individuals, the center has established a smooth working system with the emergency room of Busan Medical Center and has worked to create administrative grounds to legally support the center’s operation, striving for solid management.
When intoxicated individuals under protection show symptoms such as vomiting or seizures, the center immediately transfers them to the emergency room of Busan Medical Center for treatment, maintaining a seamless working system with the emergency room.
Additionally, the enactment of an ordinance related to the center’s operation has been completed. Through the initiative of Assemblyman Kang Cheol-ho of the City Council’s Administrative and Cultural Committee, the ‘Ordinance on the Relief and Damage Prevention of Intoxicated Persons in Busan Metropolitan City’ was promulgated and enforced starting July last year. Based on this ordinance, the Autonomous Police Committee plans to secure the center’s operating budget to further strengthen its management.
Police officers at local district stations and police boxes praised the center, saying, “Handling intoxicated individuals who cannot return home voluntarily takes a long time, but transferring them to the center reduces our workload.” Firefighters also responded, “It is helpful to be able to transfer intoxicated individuals to the center when processing reports.”
The medical center also stated, “Since the police and firefighters provide primary protection for intoxicated individuals, our workload has decreased. There were concerns about assaults or threats from intoxicated persons toward medical staff, but the active involvement of the center’s police officers has been cooperative and helpful.”
Jung Yong-hwan, Chairperson of the Metropolitan Autonomous Police Committee, said, “We will continue to operate the Drunkenness Relief Center to protect intoxicated individuals from various crimes and accidents and to alleviate the reporting burden on frontline police officers and firefighters. We will also do our best to promote various projects linking public safety administration and local administration so that citizens can enjoy a safer daily life.”
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