Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters to Inspect Fire Safety at 24 Hospital-Level Medical Facilities

Inspection of Evacuation and Fire Prevention Facility Maintenance Status

Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters, led by Director Lee Osook, will conduct a fire safety inspection of 24 hospital-level medical facilities in the province until the 30th.

Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters will conduct a fire safety inspection of 24 hospital-level medical facilities in the province until the 30th. Photo by Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters

According to the Fire Headquarters on July 7, this inspection was initiated to proactively check medical facilities vulnerable to fire and prevent casualties. The inspection targets represent approximately 12% of the total 197 hospital-level medical institutions in the province.

In particular, the inspection will also focus on institutions with a history of incidents, including 11 hospitals where fires have occurred in the past three years (four in Jeonju, four in Iksan, one in Namwon, and one in Buan).

This inspection takes into account the characteristics of hospitals, where many patients have limited mobility. The main inspection items include: the status of maintenance and management of evacuation and fire prevention facilities; whether firefighting equipment is properly maintained; whether emergency power sources such as self-generation facilities can operate in the event of a power outage; the fulfillment of duties by fire safety managers; and whether evacuation plans centered on medical staff and patients are established and appropriate.

Lee Osook, Director of Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters, stated, "Hospitals contain many flammable materials such as bedding, and most patients are in conditions where quick evacuation is difficult, which greatly increases the risk of mass casualties in the event of a fire. I ask all those concerned to show more active interest and cooperation in hospital fire safety management."