Presided by Mayor Lee Kangduk, attended by heads of related agencies including police, fire, and coast guard
Full preparations for cultural tourism festival... Measures established for crowd control, traffic, and maritime safety
Pohang Mayor Lee Kangduk met with the heads of major related organizations in the region, urging them to join forces to ensure the safe hosting of the 2024 Pohang International Fireworks Festival.
Lee Gangdeok, mayor of Pohang, held the final inspection meeting for the 2024 Pohang International Fireworks Festival on the 31st, attended by heads of major local related organizations.
On the 31st, a final safety inspection meeting for the festival was held, presided over by Mayor Lee Kangduk and attended by the heads of related organizations such as Pohang Nam and Bukbu Police Stations, Nam and Bukbu Fire Stations, and the Pohang Coast Guard.
The meeting was based on a comprehensive report by the Pohang Cultural Foundation, the festival organizer. Each organization shared their festival safety management plans, personnel deployment status, and on-site support measures, with a particular focus on intensive cross-checks in the area of 'safety' to strengthen the organic cooperation system among institutions.
The festival will be held for three days from May 31 to June 1. For festival safety management, about 1,400 personnel?including public officials, police, service staff, and volunteers?will be deployed on site after undergoing pre-safety management training to handle traffic control, parking management, emergency support, and safety management at the festival venue.
In particular, it is estimated that up to 70,000 people will gather between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on June 1, when the main event takes place. Accordingly, guides will be stationed along with personnel from related organizations at six major alleyways where visitor congestion is expected. Disaster safety text messages will be sent before and after the fireworks show, and CCTV in the event area will be continuously monitored to disperse crowds and prevent safety accidents.
To prepare for crowding in the fireworks viewing area, various safety measures have been implemented, including the installation of chairs and fences in front of the stage, broadcasting of safety videos using on-site LEDs, and safety guidance by on-site DJ Police, to proactively prevent accidents.
Additionally, to address communication disruptions caused by large crowds, 15 base stations and 7 trailers will be deployed at 22 locations throughout the event area. This will allow for a maximum capacity of 106,000 people per hour, securing communication capacity during the festival period.
Restroom facilities have also been significantly improved, with a total of 52 locations including 18 temporary restrooms, 30 open restrooms, and 4 public restrooms?more than three times the number provided last year?to greatly enhance convenience for visitors.
Related organizations will also make every effort to prevent safety accidents in cooperation with Pohang City. The Pohang Fire Department will deploy firefighting resources in advance to ensure on-site safety, with 193 firefighters and 16 fire vehicles stationed at the venue over the three days, and will work with volunteer firefighters to prepare for safety incidents.
A fire safety experience booth will be operated to conduct on-site safety campaigns, such as CPR and fire extinguisher usage, to foster a safety-conscious atmosphere.
The Pohang Police Station will focus on preventing safety accidents and crimes at the event venue and ensuring smooth traffic flow. A separate on-site police situation room will be operated, with 155 police officers and two out of five mobile units deployed. During the crowded fireworks show, DJ Police will be operated and safety personnel will be intensively deployed to proactively prevent safety incidents.
The Pohang Coast Guard will focus on the safety management of vessels, water leisure equipment, and coastal areas. Seven maritime units will be deployed to control the area and prevent civilian vessels from entering the danger zone around the barge set up for the fireworks, thereby preventing maritime safety accidents in advance. In addition, the Yeonoseoho, Pohang City's multipurpose administrative vessel, and the Gyeongbuk-do fisheries guidance vessel will also contribute to maritime safety management.
Mayor Lee Kangduk stated, "It is our role to ensure that everyone who visits Pohang for the Pohang International Fireworks Festival can enjoy the event safely and comfortably," adding, "To this end, the city and related organizations will work as one team to do our utmost for festival safety management."
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