• Korean Journal of Social Welfare Studies
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.249-273
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• 2012

Certain professionals face repeated exposure to traumatic events throughout their career. Although typically linked to pathological outcomes, research has identified sustained positive benefits and posttraumatic growth (PTG) as consistent posttrauma outcomes in occupational exposed to trauma. This study investigated the association of occupation, subjective psychological distress to a traumatic event, and demographic characteristics with posttraumatic growth in emergency workers (firefighters, rescue, and ambulance personnel), subway operators, and child protective service workers. The study led to the following conclusions: First, all three groups are risk groups of PTSD, especially, subway operators demonstrated the highest degree. Child protective service workers demonstrated the highest degree of PTG and emergency workers and subway operators followed respectively. Second, vicarious trauma and PTG were significantly correlated, in particular, invasion and avoidance were more highly correlated. Third, multivariate analysis revealed that occupation, invasion, avoidance, religion, and sex were significantly associated with PTG. Discussion addresses the need to serve mental health service and to apply concept of PTG for occupations exposed to trauma.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.57-71
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of fire officers' experience of traumatic events and subsequent forest healing on their occupational burnout. The results are as follows: First, the experience of traumatic events, social and psychological healing, and relieving stress by strolling had a significant effect on burnout. The more fire officers are exposed to traumatic events, the more they lose self-control in social and psychological aspects, and the lower the level of stress relieved through strolling, the higher the level of burnout. Thi sresult suggests that the more fire office rsare called out for fire fighting, the more they see their colleagues with severein juries, and the higher the level of mental and physical an xiety, the more they areex hausted. Moreover, for es thealing help store duce the irmental and physi calfatig uecaused by traumatic events, thu spreven ting them from suffering from burn out. Second, the experience of traumatic events, social and psychological healing, and relieving stress by strolling had a significant impact on occupational stress. The more fire officers are exposed to traumatic events, the more they lose self-control in social and psychological aspects, and the lower the level of stress relieved through strolling, the higher the level of occupational stress. This result indicates that to relieve job stress caused by fire fighting, increased forest healing activities, including various programs such as psychotherapy, developing interpersonal relationships and self-control, and creating a positive mind-set, can reducejobstress and help fire officers recover from it. Lastly, job stress had a mediation effect on the effects of the experience of traumatic events and forest healing on burnout. This implies that burnout can be prevented when fire officers gain high emotional stability through social and psychological healing and stress-relief strolling over a traumatic experience, and stronger support from the organization and family can keep them from being emotionally drained, thus contributing to the prevention of burnout.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.145-162
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• 2021

Purpose: The 2018 General survey of emergency assistance was conducted to examine the working conditions and welfare, including educational direction, interests, and awareness of work, of the fire department emergency medical technicians (EMT). This would be used as basic data for future policy directions. Methods: Among the fire-fighting officers in 16 cities nationwide, emergency rescue workers engaged in first-aid activities were targeted. With prior consent, a survey was conducted through electronic documents. Of the total 1,227 people, responses from 1,151 were finally analyzed, excluding 76 who did not respond appropriately. Results: The working conditions and welfare of 119 firefighters were moderate, but in the fields of education and interest, the learning according to the regulations was high. In particular, satisfaction with the scope of work was found to be below average. However, it was positive that it will play a role as a social safety net in the future and will converge with cutting-edge science. Conclusion: Although this study was a total investigation of the EMT survey, conducting an EMT survey on all fire fighters in Korea is difficult. Further research is needed, particularly on first-class emergency medical personnel who play a major role in 119 paramedics.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.585-594
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• 2018

Objective: This study was designed to report on the progress of the fire at Jecheon sports complex and to assess the adequacy of Disaster Medical Assistant Team (DMAT)'s activities in response to the fire disaster. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review based on camera recordings and medical records that were recorded at the disaster site for assessment of activities. We cooperated with firefighters, police officers, local hospital medical staffs and public health personnel in Jecheon in order to classify patients in the disaster field and to understand the patients' progress. Results: At 15:53, the first request for emergency rescue came to the 119 general emergency call center, and a request for DMAT activation came at 16:28. DMAT arrived at the site at 17:04 and remained active until the following day at 00:43. The total number of casualties was 60, including 27 minimal (Green) patients, 29 expectant (Black) patients, three delayed (Yellow) patients, and one immediate (Red) patient. There were 32 patients who received on-site care by DMAT. Two patients were transferred from a local hospital to Wonju Severance Christian Hospital for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Conclusion: Twenty-nine victims were found in the sports complex building, and there were 31 mildly to moderately injured patients in this fire disaster. The main cause of death was thought to be smoke suffocation. Although DMAT was activated relatively quickly, it was not able to provide effective activity due to the late rescue and difficulty with fire suppression.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.135-141
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• 2022

This study seeks to find ways to improve the volunteer fire brigade as the role and importance of the voluntary fire brigade, which can prevent various disasters including fire at all times and respond most quickly in case of disaster, increases. As a result of analyzing and deducing the problems of the current legal, administrative, and financial aspects of the volunteer fire brigade for this study, first, as a legal improvement method, it is necessary to raise the status of the volunteer fire brigade mission, flexible operation of the garden, and increase the professionalism of education and training. should be improved Second, as an administrative improvement plan, it is necessary to reorganize the character of the volunteer fire brigade, expand its role as a regional disaster prevention leader, enhance the professionalism of the volunteer fire brigade selection process, and expand the number of volunteer fire brigade members through group membership rather than individuals. Third, as a financial improvement plan, it is necessary to introduce appropriate remuneration and severance pay for volunteer firefighters, and insurance to be covered in case of injury or injury.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-14
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• 2022

This study is a plan on the way to strengthen the survival ability by increasing the use time of air respirator by applying emergency breathing method in the situation where firefighter has to wait for RIT (Rapid Intervention Teams) because it is impossible to escape by himself or emergency escape during isolation during field activities. The research procedure first drew problems by conducting a survey on fire fighters under the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and conducted an experiment to compare normal breathing and emergency breathing with 20 members of the Seoul 119 Special Rescue Team, and suggested emergency breathing method and training process modeling that can be applied to each field situation based on the data obtained. The experiment was conducted over 9 weeks, and it was divided into three categories: field activity situation, movement (emergency escape assumption) situation, and place (assume waiting for RIT). In the field activity situation experiment, it was confirmed that the application of skip breathing method was appropriate and the use time of air respirator increased about 1.6 ~ 1.9 times. In the moving situation or the in-situ situation, wheel breathing method was appropriate and the use time of air respirator increased about 1.6 ~ 2.4 times. However, when conducting intense activities in the field activity situation, it is recommended to use it limitedly because it is difficult to apply the emergency breathing method. If emergency breathing is not clearly learned in the body, it is difficult to use in the field, so I think systematic and continuous training is necessary. This study suggests that the application of emergency breathing method is effective enough to strengthen the survival ability of firefighters in the field.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.644-655
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• 2023

Purpose: Metal fires occur in metal handling, processing, waste storage plants, etc. It is difficult for firefighters to extinguish metal fires, and it takes a long time, so caution is needed in fire suppression. Method: In this study, current statistics and problems of metal fires were introduced, and then the effectiveness was verified by experiments with using fire extinguishing agents used in Korea. Comparative suppression experiments of 5 different fire extinguishing agents for burning powders of 99.9% magnesium over 150 ㎛ were performed following the metal powder type test method of Class D fire in ISO 7165. Result: 5 fire extinguishing agents are the power types of dry sands and expanded vermiculites most commonly used in Korea, the certified class D fire extinguisher used abroad, and ochers requiring verification, and the liquid silica gel. Conclusion: The results of experiments showed expanded vermiculites were the best metal fire extinguishing agent considering effectiveness, convenience of use, and economical feasibility.

• Convergence Security Journal
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.115-126
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• 2022

This study studied the working relationship between national crisis management and national defense elements from a comprehensive security perspective. The elements of national defense are presented in the Integrated Defense Act. Therefore, by presenting the principles, problems, and alternatives of integrated defense, the study was conducted with the aim of protecting the lives and property of the people in the event of a national crisis and strengthen national security. As a theoretical background, an analysis frame was envisioned based on the four stages of crisis management in the 'Comprehensive Crisis Management Model' and the 'Basic Guidelines for National Crisis Management'. Through this, four domestic and foreign case studies were conducted. As a result of the study, it can be confirmed that related laws, organizations, and public awareness must be provided in order for the national defense elements at each stage of national crisis management to work well. For the completeness of national crisis management, it was suggested that the enactment of the Framework Act on National Crisis Management, the establishment of an integrated defense plan, linked training, C4I for communication, strengthening the capabilities of local government heads, and national defense elements of firefighters.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.284-292
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• 2024

Purpose: Compared to general fires of the same size, underground parking lot fires are more likely to cause human and property damage and are not easy for firefighters to extinguish fire and save lives. This study attempted to find out how to secure the evacuation safety of parking lot users based on changes in the evacuation simulation behavior mode applied to evaluate the evacuation safety of the object. Method: Simulation for each CASE was performed using the Pathfinder program. Result: it was found that the higher the reference value, the higher the evacuation time, and Behavior showed an increase in time in SFPE mode rather than Steering mode. Priority was able to confirm an increase in time in priority designation rather than non-priority designation. Conclusion: The Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) for evaluating the evacuation safety of underground parking lots and the building evacuation design to ensure evacuation safety should be evaluated and reflected separately from Simulation's Behaviour Mode and Priority.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2024

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are widely used in various sectors, such as transportation (e.g., electric vehicles (EV)) and energy (e.g., energy storage facilities) due to their high energy density, broad operating temperature (-20 ℃ ~ 60 ℃), and high capacities. LIBs are powerful but fragile on external factors, including pressure, physical damage, overheating, and overcharging, that cause thermal runaway causing fires and explosions. During a LIB fire, a large amount of oxygen is generated from the decomposition of ionogenic materials. A water fire extinguisher that helps with cooling and suffocating must be essentially required at the same time. In fact, however, it is difficult to suppress LIB fires in the case of EVs because a LIB is installed with a battery pack housing that interrupts direct extinguishing by water. Thus, this study aims to investigate effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires by using an EV. Relevant documents, including research articles and reports, were reviewed to identify effective ways of LIBs fire extinguishing. A real-scale fire experiment generating thermal runaway was carried out to figure out the combustion characteristics of EVs. This study revealed that the most effective fire extinguishing measurements for LIB fires are applying fire blankets and water tanks. However, there is still a lack of adequate regulation and guidelines for LIB fire extinguishment. Taking this into account, developing functional fire extinguishment measurements and available regulatory instruments is an urgent issue to secure the safety of firefighters and citizens.