Nationwide Fire Stations to Begin Special Emergency Watch Duty During Chuseok Holiday; Level 1 or 2 Response Based on Fire Risk

[Financial News] 
Fire stations nationwide will begin special emergency watch duty at 6 p.m. on the 23rd for the Chuseok holiday. Starting this Chuseok holiday, a new system dividing special emergency watch duty into Levels 1 and 2 based on fire risk will be applied for the first time.
The National Fire Agency (NFA) announced on the 22nd that it would place fire stations nationwide under Level 1 special emergency watch duty from 6 p.m. on the 23rd to 9 a.m. on the 28th.
Under the revised standards, Level 1 special emergency watch duty will apply when the fire risk warning reaches the “Alert” stage, while the response will be raised to Level 2 at the “Serious” stage. The changes are intended to tailor on-site measures to the level of fire risk.
Fires caused by carelessness have been particularly common during the Chuseok holiday. Over the past five years, 2,412 fires occurred during the special emergency watch duty period for the holiday, causing 123 casualties and approximately KRW 28.38 billion in property damage.
Of these, 1,002 fires, or 41.5% of the total, were caused by carelessness. Electrical factors accounted for 767 cases, or 31.8%, followed by unknown causes with 213 cases, or 8.8%, and mechanical factors with 189 cases, or 7.8%.
A total of 644 fires occurred during last year's Chuseok holiday, up 149 cases, or 30.1%, from 495 the previous year. Property damage also rose 22.5% year on year to approximately KRW 6.8 billion.
Fire authorities will conduct preventive patrols during the holiday, focusing on crowded locations such as traditional markets, large retail facilities and lodging facilities. They will carry out mobile patrols of fire-vulnerable sites and advise facility operators on safety measures.
Authorities will also prepare for delays in fire engine access caused by increased traffic from vehicles carrying people traveling to and from their hometowns, as well as heavier traffic around traditional markets. If a major fire or an incident posing a risk of multiple casualties occurs, available firefighting resources will be deployed.
Joo Young-kuk, director of the NFA's 119 Response Bureau, said, "This is the first special emergency watch duty operation since we improved the operating system to focus on rapidly disseminating information and responding at the scene when disasters occur. Fire stations nationwide will maintain their response posture throughout the holiday."

[email protected] Lee Bo-mi Reporter