A study on Korea`s fire administration development

Abstract

In the modern technological industrial society, utilization of fire is indispensable to the daily life nowadays. However, features of the industrialised society impose a big threat to the safety of human life, and thus require a more advanced means of fire-fighting administration. In regard to the characteristics of the fire-fighting, prevention and extinguishmnt of fires, major tasks for each have been outlined as: fire safety management, hazardous materials safety management, and advertising for the former; depolyment of fire-fighting apparatus to the scene of the fire in a quick and safe manner. Current problems involved in such tasks have been made clear as the lack of devices or capabilities of scientific cause-finding laboratory work, and resultant chance of false assumptions. In addition to worn-out equipments, such things as follow habe been added to the present problems: insufficient manpower; lack of water sources; obstacles to handle emergency calls; absence of tactics and instructions; and lack of self-extinguishing activities. Considering such defects in current administration, recommendations have been made as follow; 1) reorganization of the Ministry of Home Affairs and local gooernments so that profissional personnels may more efficiently contribute to the fire-fighting today; 2) enlargement and enforcement of research and education function; 3) establishment of more efficient allotment of manpower far the mission; 4) securing proper water systems; 5) developing tactics for response in emergency; 6) securing of co-ordination of fire-fighters and civilians. In sum, ways of improving the attitudes of personnels engaged in fire-fighting; equipmnts, adequate training; and nation-wide telecommunication systems, have to be contrived for the future.