Emergency Countermeasure Meeting Held on the 17th
Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters Established
On September 17, Gwangyang City in South Jeolla Province announced that it is making every effort to support firefighting operations and ensure the safety of its citizens following the fire that broke out on September 13 at a logistics warehouse in the eastern hinterland of Gwangyang Port.
The Gwangyang Fire Department anticipated that the firefighting operation would be prolonged due to the properties of the metals involved. To address this, the department switched to a smothering method using soil, which can reduce smoke and odor and shorten the firefighting period. Accordingly, the city is actively providing the Gwangyang Fire Department with soil and other resources necessary for extinguishing the fire.
Gwangyang City held an emergency countermeasure meeting on the 17th, chaired by Vice Mayor Kim Jungwan, to support the firefighting efforts for the logistics warehouse fire. Photo by Gwangyang City
On September 15, the city conducted an initial measurement of 100 types of hazardous substances in the air and is currently carrying out more detailed inspections, including tests for heavy metals. In addition, to remove fine dust and particulates, water-spraying vehicles are being intensively operated along the main roads in the affected areas near the fire site.
On September 16, the city distributed 1,480 KF94 masks to Goryak Elementary School. Starting on September 17, 100,000 KF94 masks are being distributed to the community centers in Goryak-dong, Jungma-dong, and Kumho-dong, which are areas near the fire.
Separately from the city, the Gwangyang Office of Education has provided 300 masks to Goryak Middle School and plans to allocate funds for a 10-day supply of masks for students and staff at 23 kindergartens (both public and private), elementary, middle, and high schools in the Goryak-dong and Jungma-dong areas.
On this day, to discuss measures for ensuring citizen safety and providing support, an emergency support countermeasure meeting was held, chaired by Vice Mayor Kim Jungwan. The meeting was attended by relevant departments, the Gwangyang Police Station, the Gwangyang Fire Department, the Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority, the Gwangyang Office of Education, and other related organizations. The city has established a Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, headed by the mayor of Gwangyang, and will regularly review the response status of each department through ongoing meetings.
Currently, the city has set up an Integrated Support Center in front of the Goryak-dong Community Center to do its utmost to ensure citizen safety. Separately, the city’s public health center has established an emergency medical station to treat citizens experiencing respiratory and other discomfort. In severe cases, citizens are being referred to hospitals such as St. Carollo Hospital, which operates hyperbaric oxygen chambers. For those experiencing psychological distress, the public health center is encouraging the use of its psychological counseling programs.
Additionally, the community centers in Goryak-dong, Jungma-dong, and Kumho-dong will provide senior centers, village halls, and heat shelters as needed for residents requiring a place to rest. The city will also use village broadcasts to inform citizens of the measures currently being taken by Gwangyang City.
A city official stated, "We are prioritizing the health and safety of our citizens and are working closely with all related agencies to ensure a thorough disaster response. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide support to guarantee citizen safety, and will promptly implement additional measures as needed."
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