• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.334-344
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• 2021

The study has suggested a way to minimize safety accidents found in on-site firefighting activity by analyzing firefighters' [investigation report on accidents to on-sie workers]. The study result is described as follows. First, the result of [investigation report on on-site workers] shows that while accidents are found to most frequently have occurred to low-ranking firefighting officers such as Sobangsa and Sobanggyo and firefighting officers with career of less than 5 years, fire-extinguishing activity proved to be the most prone to accidents in the category of activity. Second, analysis performed to identify variance between injury extent and area based on cause of accident shows statistically significant variance. In addition, the result of verifying difference in cause of accident based on category of activity shows significant difference with 'falling over and sliding' being the highly likely cause of accident in fire containment and rescue activities and 'reckless move' being highly likely case of accident in emergency activities. Third, the result of verifying factors behind the extent of injury done to on-site workers shows that when accident is caused by 'incomplete behavior', it was found that the extent of injury is substantial. It was also found that rescue activity is accompanied by substantial extent of injury. As a solution to this, the study suggested ways to establish, extend and operate safety-specific curriculum for entrants, develop materials regarding risk prognosis training and explicate training-related regulations, set up safety management measure for a single squad team, upgrade performance of private protection equipment, institutionalize SOP by on-site activity stage, materialize and activate swift rescue team and increase objectivity and proficiency of safety accident investigation.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.110-121
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• 2018

The present article is concerned with a study on the daily training protocol for field crews wearing chemical protection clothing for firefighting and the analysis of activity. To improve coping ability of & secure safety for firefighting crews initially incorporated in the fields of chemical accident & chemical terror, 10 steps in total of daily training protocol have been designed. The designed protocol is largely composed of the extensive activity protocol for daily adaptation of firefighting chemical protection clothing (steps 1, 2, 6, 7 & 9), the precision operation protocol utilizing hands (steps 3, 4 & 5), and the protocol requiring strong physical burdens (steps 8 & 10). According to the measurement results for activity as a result of the protocol, the average maximum heart rate upon wearing the firefighting chemical protection clothing was shown to increase by step 1 20.32%, step 2 18.69%, step 3 25.23%, step 4 34.77%, step 5 27.44%, step 6 30.24%, step 7 25.33%, step 8 22.25%, step 9 22.80% and step 10 20.85% compared with the time of not wearing them. The average maximum breathing rate was shown to increase by step 3 1.92%, step 4 4.11%, step 5 1.24%, step 6 3.95%, step 7 0.93%, step 8 10.23%, step 9 3.36% and step 10 15.10%, except for steps 1 & 2.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.11-20
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• 2015

Fire incidents, which occur every year, cause huge damage to properties and humans. Significant time and costs have been invested in minimizing and responding to such accidents. With the recent advances in the development of spatial information, in the firefighting field, studies have been conducted to effectively bring fires under control using GIS(Geographic Information System). Most of such studies, however, focused on individual analyses of firefighting-related factors, but comprehensive research on the vulnerability factors in fire control activities, a major part of firefighting activity, has yet to be done. This study sought to pinpoint and analyze the factors that obstruct fire controlling, and to gather relevant data and create GIS-based databases. Based on such database, GIS-based overlay analysis was conducted to produce a fire control vulnerability map. The findings of this study will enable a quantitative analysis of firefighting obstruction factors to assist the personnel engaging in firefighting in rational decision-making, such as in formulating a firefighting operation plan for securing golden time.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.386-392
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• 2017

Background: Fire service workers often implement multiple duties in the emergency conditions, with such duties being mostly conducted in various ambient temperatures. Methods: The aim of the current study was to assess the firefighters' physiological responses, information processing, and working memory prior to and following simulated firefighting activities in three different hot environments. Seventeen healthy male firefighters performed simulated firefighting tasks in three separate conditions, namely (1) low heat (LH; $29-31^{\circ}C$, 55-60% relative humidity), (2) moderate heat (MH; $32-34^{\circ}C$, 55-60% relative humidity), and (3) severe heat (SH; $35-37^{\circ}C$, 55-60% relative humidity). It took about 45-50 minutes for each firefighter to finish all defined firefighting activities and the paced auditory serial addition test (PASAT). Results: At the end of all the three experimental conditions, heart rate (HR) and tympanic temperature (TT) increased, while PASAT scores as a measure of information processing performance decreased relative to baseline. HR and TT were significantly higher at the end of the experiment in the SH ($159.41{\pm}4.25beats/min$; $38.22{\pm}0.10^{\circ}C$) compared with the MH ($156.59{\pm}3.77beats/min$; $38.20{\pm}0.10^{\circ}C$) and LH ($154.24{\pm}4.67beats/min$; $38.17{\pm}0.10^{\circ}C$) conditions (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in PASAT scores between LH and MH (p > 0.05). Nonetheless, there was a measurable difference in PASAT scores between LH and SH (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These consequences demonstrate that ambient temperature is effective in raising the physiological responses following firefighting activities. It is therefore argued that further increase of ambient temperature can impact firefighters' information processing and working memory during firefighting activity.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Background: Firefighting involves exposure of firefighters to risks related to this activity, serious injuries, and occupational diseases are recorded. There are other consequences such as thermal and emotional stress. This systematic review is proposed in order to analyze the risks and consequences faced by these workers and thus provide elements to improve safety management systems in institutions. Method: A descriptive observational study of systematic literature review on the risks and consequences of exposure to firefighters' activity was proposed, and the information was analyzed and described based on the available data and according to the variables determined. Results: The studies showed data on mechanical, physical, chemical, psychosocial risks, workers' perception and resilience, and epidemiological data. Information related to firefighters' activity on falls and slips, exposure to noise, and high concentrations of carbon monoxide is detailed. In addition, the relationship between burnout, cognitive, and physical fatigue as adverse effects on health and performance is mentioned. Conclusions: Among the preventive measures, the use of personal protective equipment is suggested, incorporation in prevention programs of information on exposure to risk factors, as well as the implementation of models that can predict the perception of workers, additionally, the generation of management systems with safety climate models for fire departments.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.477-487
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• 2019

Objectives: Firefighters are known to be exposed to a variety of toxic substances, but little information is available on the exposure profile of firefighting activities. The aims of this study were to conduct exposure monitoring of toxic chemicals at fire scenes, to compare the concentrations of respective chemicals among firefighting tasks, and to assess the main factors influencing the concentrations of chemicals. Methods: Researchers performed sampling at firefighting scenes during four weeks in 2013. At the scene, we collected samples based on firefighters' own activities and examined the situation and scale of the accident. Collected samples were classified into three categories, including fire extinguishing and overhaul, and were analyzed in the laboratory according to respective analysis methods. Results: A total of fourteen fire activity events were surveyed: five fire extinguishing, six overhaul, and three fire investigations. Although no substance exceeded the ACGIH TLV, PAHs were detected in every sample. Naphthalene ranged from 0.24 to 279.13 mg/㎥ (median 49.6 mg/㎥) and benzo(a)pyrene was detected in one overhaul case at 10.85 ㎍/㎥. Benzene (0.01-12.2 ppm) was detected in every task and exceeded the ACGIH TLV. No significant difference in concentrations between tasks was shown. Conclusions: These results indicate that all firefighting tasks generated various hazardous combustion products, including possible carcinogens.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.2_2
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• pp.273-278
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• 2023

In this study, We conducted a survey for improvement about disaster in multiple casualties. Results, It was checked out many problems that Triage is inconvenience in using and damaging. And it was turned out that firefighting resources are not being put efficiently in the right place. Therefore, We are proposed that expansion of education and training opportunities, Location system of emergency activity resource in using App, Cope with a multiple casualties in using QR Code.

• Proceedings of the Korea Information Processing Society Conference
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• 2020.11a
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• pp.1094-1096
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• 2020

소방 장비의 개선은 구조 활동의 효율성을 높여서 인명 구조율을 높일 수 있다. 또한 고온에 노출되는 시간, 사고 위험에 노출되는 시간을 줄이기 때문에 소방관의 사망 확률도 줄일 수 있다. 그래서 기존 장비의 열악했던 사항들을 개선한 디바이스를 개발했다. 화재 현장에서 인명 구조 시 소방관이 연기속에서의 시야 확보, 원활한 무전 통신, 각 대원들의 위치 파악과 실시간 산소통 잔량 확인 기능을 갖춘 장치를 개발했다. 이에 따라 구조작업의 효율성이 크게 증대 될 것이다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.91-96
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• 2010

In the various disaster scene effective protective equipment and suppression measures of crisis response cases that is closed all in Korea. Due to asbestos exposure by wearing protective equipment, as well as thoroughly strengthen firefighting, recognize the seriousness of the hazard factors in the fire activity, and established legal system for disease compensation and supplemented by institutional for diseases not yet recognized by officially recognized disaster, fire officials to improve morale and working conditions can be expected to improve major public service.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1311-1322
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• 2016

Since the scale and disaster characteristics of volcanic eruptions are determined by their geological features, it is important not only to grasp the current states of the volcanoes in neighboring countries around the Korean Peninsula, but also to analyze the tectonic settings, tectonic regions, geological features, volcanic types, and past eruptional histories of these volcanoes. We created a database of 285 volcanoes around the Korean Peninsula, and then identified a high-risk groups of 29 volcanoes that are highly likely to affect the region, based on conditions such as volcanic activity, the type of rocks at risk of eruption, the distance from Seoul, and high VEI (volcanic explosivity index). In addition, we identified the 10 volcanoes that should be given the highest priority. We selected them through an analysis of data available in literature, such as volcanic ash dispersion results from previous Japanese eruptions, the definition of a large-scale volcano used by Japan's Cabinet Office, and examination of cumulative magma layer volumes from Japan's quaternary volcanoes.