Goyang City Launches All-Out Summer Disaster Response System to Safeguard Citizens' Safety

Goyang City Allocates 189.4 Billion Won to Five National and Provincial Disaster Prevention Projects
Precision Inspection of 44 High-Risk Areas and One-on-One Evacuation Assistants for Vulnerable Groups
Granting 'Evacuation Order Authority' to Community Center Heads... Utilizing Civil Defense Sirens for Nighttime Evacuation

Goyang Special City in Gyeonggi Province has launched a multidimensional disaster response system to proactively protect the lives and property of its citizens against increasingly frequent localized heavy rainfall and sudden downpours during the summer season.

According to Goyang Special City on June 11, the city plans to fully establish a seamless summer disease prevention and disaster management system by focusing large-scale disaster prevention projects on flood-prone low-lying areas, as well as setting up a robust safety net for vulnerable groups and a 24-hour emergency response system.

Goyang City Activates Comprehensive Disaster Response System for Summer Season. Provided by Goyang City.

Five Large-Scale Disaster Prevention Projects Underway... Resolving Chronic Flooding in Gangmae and GwanSan Districts

To fundamentally improve areas that have experienced repeated flooding during the rainy season, the city has actively participated in national and provincial government project competitions. From 2023 to the present, it has secured and is implementing a total disaster prevention project budget of 189.4 billion won across five projects.

In particular, the "Gangmae Natural Disaster Risk Improvement District Maintenance Project" in Gangmae-dong, Deogyang-gu, officially began construction in March. Upon completion, the area will be equipped with a high-capacity, high-efficiency pump capable of draining 4,060 tons per minute and a 47,400-square-meter detention basin. This is expected to enable rapid adjustment of the Seongsacheon stream water level during heavy downpours, significantly preventing urban flooding and river overflows.

The maintenance project for the Dupocheon area in Gwansan-dong—which suffered residential and agricultural land flooding annually due to heavy rain—with a total budget of 46.8 billion won, has also gained momentum. The city is currently conducting both basic and detailed design work and plans to finalize an effective maintenance strategy after reviewing the topographical characteristics and land use of the GwanSan District from multiple perspectives.

Forced Drainage Pump Station. Provided by Goyang City

Precision Inspection of Flood-Prone Facilities... Securing the 'Golden Hour' for Disaster-Vulnerable Groups

Last year, Goyang City experienced flooding in some areas due to extreme rainfall exceeding 100 mm per hour. To prevent similar incidents this year, the city has proactively completed inspections of storm drains, underpasses, drainage pump stations, and semi-basement residences.

Based on these inspections, a total of 44 sites, including underpasses and riverside walking paths with potential risk for casualties, have been designated as "areas of concern for human casualties" and will be closely monitored. Especially in crisis situations, the city has quantified criteria to ensure that preemptive control measures are taken immediately based on objective indicators, eliminating subjective judgment.

Furthermore, for disaster-vulnerable groups such as the elderly and disabled who have limited mobility, the city has assigned local professional group members as one-on-one evacuation assistants, significantly strengthening the field-based human safety network to help these individuals evacuate within the critical golden hour.

Gosan District, Dupocheon area. Provided by Goyang City

Strengthening Capabilities of Frontline Community Administrative Welfare Centers... Granting 'Evacuation Order Authority' to Center Heads and Utilizing Nighttime Sirens

The disaster response capabilities of all 44 community administrative welfare centers, which are the first points of contact with citizens on the ground, will be significantly enhanced.

To ensure that the golden hour is not missed during simultaneous disaster events, the city has granted each center head the authority to immediately issue evacuation orders to residents based on their situational judgment. During nighttime or early morning hours, when the risk of casualties is higher, the city plans to actively utilize local civil defense warning facilities (sirens) to facilitate swift evacuations by ensuring residents are promptly alerted to the situation.

To prevent any confusion during personnel changes or replacements of emergency staff, all community centers have been supplied with management cards detailing the topographical features, lists of flood-prone areas, and action protocols specific to each location. In April, the city also completed practical training for disaster safety response headquarters staff on initial response and rapid reporting systems.

Test operation of the drainage pump. Provided by Goyang City.

24-Hour Disaster Response and Full Coordination with Military, Police, Fire, and Civilian Agencies

Goyang City has established a 24-hour disaster safety situation room to prevent damage from heavy rains and typhoons during summer and to ensure prompt recovery support. When weather advisories are issued, the city activates a five-stage emergency work system, deploying personnel to the field and community administrative welfare centers under the direction of the disaster response officer.

The city maintains emergency contact networks at all times with relevant agencies such as the police, fire department, military units, and Korea Electric Power Corporation. The field response system is strengthened by utilizing the disaster safety communication network, allowing for immediate rescue and recovery operations in the event of a large-scale disaster. In addition, the city plans to actively utilize private resources, including the local volunteer disaster prevention groups and safety monitors, to thoroughly patrol blind spots that are difficult to cover solely through administrative efforts.

A Goyang City official stated, "As it has become increasingly difficult to predict sudden disasters due to global warming, it is essential to prepare in advance, even if it may seem somewhat excessive," adding, "We will rigorously operate a meticulous and seamless disaster response system on the ground to ensure the safety of our citizens' precious lives and property this summer."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.