KFS demonstrates fire control system
KFS demonstrates fire control system
15 October 2015
published by www.koreaherald.com
Korea– The Korea Forest Service held a simulated field demonstration of forest fire control on Wednesday during the sixth International Wildland Fire Conference in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province.
This event was intended to introduce Koreas fire suppression technologies and its cooperative commanding systems among related agencies to foreign conference participants.
The field demonstration took place in front of an audience of around 1,000, including staff from 32 organizations such as the Ministry of Public Safety and Security and the Korean National Police Agency, KFS Minister Shin Won-sop, Gangwon Province deputy governor Maeng Sung-kyu, Global Fire Monitoring Center head Johann G. Goldammer and U.S. Forest Service National Director of Fire and Aviation Management Tom Harbour.
The field demonstration simulated a situation of a catastrophic forest fire, and showed simulation techniques across land and air.
Helicopters fly in formation and pour water during simulated fire suppression at the sixth IWFC in Pyeongchang, Gangwon Province, Wednesday. KFS
On land, around 300 experts including the fire prevention task force, military and police moved in perfect order to put out the fire.
Above ground, 13 helicopters and two civilian aircrafts divided into groups to focus on different tasks under the command of the KFS. A mechanized fire suppressor was also brought in to show how to suppress severe fires at nighttime when helicopters have difficulty entering.
The simulation reached a climax as the helicopters poured water on top of a smoking trail and ended with eight helicopters flying in formation, drawing cheers from the crowd.
The simulation also displayed information technology used for fire suppression, such as mobile devices that report wildland fires and the Forest Geographic Information System, which records and analyzes locations and information about all the forests in Korea.
It was remarkable to see a systematic command in fire suppression, said an official from South Africa who attended the simulation, and expressed hope that Koreas technology would improve with continued exchanges with other countries.
I was delighted to show a vivid demonstration of Koreas fire suppression method to fire experts around the world, said KFS Minister Shin Won-sop, adding that it was important to gain an effective united commanding system for state-owned aircrafts in case of natural disasters.
