The drill simulated a real fire scenario to test staff evacuation and on-site response — fire extinguisher use and CPR practice were incorporated to sharpen initial response capabilities.
Yongsan-gu in Seoul conducted a fire evacuation drill for all staff at its comprehensive administrative complex on Friday, running from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
The drill was designed to review evacuation procedures so that employees and visitors could evacuate quickly and safely in the event of a fire, and to strengthen staff members' on-site response capabilities.
The exercise simulated a fire breaking out on the sixth floor of the complex, with power and elevator service cut off. When the fire alarm sounded and evacuation announcements were broadcast, staff used emergency stairwells to reach designated assembly points.
Following the drill plan, employees working on the sixth floor and below evacuated to the second-floor plaza, while those on the seventh floor and above made their way to the rooftop on the 11th floor. Evacuation guides stationed on each floor directed movement, maintained order and checked whether anyone had been left behind.
After the evacuation exercise, hands-on training sessions were held to improve initial fire response and emergency management skills.
Firefighters from the Itaewon 119 Safety Center of the Yongsan Fire Department demonstrated how to use fire hydrants. Thirty-one employees from the complex's volunteer fire brigade initial-response unit gathered at the second-floor plaza to learn about fire extinguisher components, proper usage, safe distances and safety precautions, then practiced operating the extinguishers themselves.
In the second-floor lobby, about 40 employees from various departments took part in CPR training. Participants learned how to respond when someone goes into cardiac arrest, including how to check a patient's consciousness and breathing. They then practiced chest compressions on training mannequins.
The facility management corporation's disaster prevention center and relevant departments — including the safety and disaster management division, the autonomous administration division and the public health and medical division — also participated, helping ensure the drill closely mirrored real emergency conditions.
"In disaster situations such as fires, it is important to internalize evacuation procedures and initial response methods through repeated training," Yongsan-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-dae said. "We will continue to conduct effective drills that simulate real-life scenarios to do our utmost to ensure the safety of staff and visitors to the complex."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
