Osan City Conducts Pilot Drill for 'National Disaster Response Safety Training'

[Suwon Ilbo=Jang Kyung-hee Reporter] Osan City (Mayor Gwak Sang-wook) announced on the 2nd that it conducted a pilot drill for the '2019 National Disaster Response Safety Training and Comprehensive Emergency Response Drill' simulating 'large-scale fire at a crowded facility and hazardous chemical leakage composite disaster' at Korea Export Packaging Co., Ltd., a company in the Nueup Industrial Complex.

The drill, co-hosted with Osan Fire Department, was conducted as a model training observed by officials from 8 cities and provinces and municipalities nationwide, as Osan City was designated as an outstanding institution in the '2018 Disaster Response Safety Training Evaluation.'

On October 1st, a discussion-based drill on large-scale fire at a crowded facility and hazardous chemical leakage was held at the City Hall situation room, and on the 2nd, field training was conducted at Korea Export Packaging Industrial Co., Ltd. Some 250 participants from 18 organizations and groups—including city collaborative departments, fire department, police, military personnel, and private enterprises and civic organizations—participated in the drill.

In particular, this drill focused on evacuation guidance following fire outbreak and initial suppression, based on the premise of a composite disaster. Through rapid initial response to hazardous chemical leakage and effective decontamination work by the Air Force's chemical, biological, and radiological support unit, the drill was conducted in a realistic atmosphere resembling an actual situation.

Additionally, during the recovery phase, following the transfer of command authority from the Emergency Response Control Headquarters to Osan City's Integrated Support Headquarters, training proceeded for incident cleanup. With the Integrated Support Headquarters Director presiding, realistic discussion meetings were held, establishing an inter-agency cooperative response system among collaborative departments and related institutions to prepare for all types of disasters that may occur at any time.

Vice Mayor Kim Moon-hwan stated, "We extend our deepest gratitude to related institutions and civic organizations working for safe Osan City. In the event of an actual disaster, organic cooperation among the public, private, and military sectors is of paramount importance, and we will further strengthen our disaster response capabilities against increasingly complex composite disasters."

Meanwhile, Osan City plans to conduct evaluation and result analysis of this '2019 National Disaster Response Safety Training and Comprehensive Emergency Response Drill,' analyze training results from other municipalities conducted at the end of October, and develop an advanced 2020 training plan.