Jinju City Councilor Kang Jin-cheol introduced a partial amendment to the Ordinance on Supporting Fire-Prevention Safety Facilities in Buildings Used by Vulnerable Populations at the Jinju City Council's 272nd extraordinary session.
The amendment expands the ordinance's policy scope from \"fire prevention\" to \"fire prevention and safety,\" and establishes a legal basis for installing and supplying smoke-evacuation equipment—such as smoke hoods and masks—to aid evacuation during fires.
National Fire Agency statistics show that roughly 60% of fire fatalities between 2021 and last year were due to smoke inhalation, underscoring the need to secure safe initial evacuation conditions during fires.
Facilities used by vulnerable populations, in particular, often make immediate evacuation difficult, increasing the likelihood of severe harm. In South Korea, fires at nursing hospitals and welfare facilities have repeatedly led to large-scale casualties.
Councilor Kang said, \"Fire response must go beyond prevention and create conditions that allow people to evacuate safely in real situations. I hope this amendment raises building safety standards and helps protect citizens' lives.\"
Currently, more than 160 local governments nationwide have ordinances providing smoke-evacuation supplies such as smoke hoods and masks, and about 195 municipalities operate ordinances that support safety measures for vulnerable populations.
South Gyeongsang Province — Reporter Jeong Do-jeong, sos6831@viva100.com
