"Training Firefighting Specialists In-House"... Jeonbuk Fire Service Education and Training Center Opens

Five Types of Standardized Live-Fire Training Facilities, the First of Their Kind in the Country
Systematic Training Using Real Fires and Simulated Disaster Scenarios

Firefighters in Jeonbuk now have a foundation for improving their on-site response capabilities through systematic training using real fires and simulated disaster scenarios.

The Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Fire Headquarters said on November 7 that it held an opening ceremony on November 6 at the Jeonbuk Fire Service Education and Training Center in Gyenam-myeon, Jangsu-gun.

Jeonbuk Fire Service Education and Training Center in Gyenam-myeon, Jangsu County, Jeonbuk. Photo provided by the Jeonbuk Provincial Government.

The centerpiece of the Jeonbuk center is five types of standardized live-fire training facilities, the first of their kind in the country. They recreate dangerous situations that can arise at actual fire scenes: flashover, in which flames spread rapidly; backdraft, an explosive re-ignition phenomenon; the attack cell for initial fire suppression; the T-cell for practicing complex fire suppression tactics; and the multi-story cell for practicing firefighting and rescue operations in multistory buildings.

The training site, comprising 16 container buildings with a total floor area of 1,186 square meters, is also equipped with facilities for practicing escape through dense smoke and roof breaching, as well as systems for treating smoke and pollutants. These facilities allow firefighters to build practical experience through repeated training in a safe environment.

The Incident Command Training Center (ICTC), also the first of its kind at a firefighting education academy in the country, uses 10 simulators to recreate real locations as disaster scenes, including Gyeonggijeon, a bus terminal, apartment buildings, and schools. This allows commanders to practice on-site leadership skills, including prioritizing rescue operations, deploying firefighting resources, and coordinating with relevant agencies.

The center began offering training in March and had run 119 sessions across 32 courses by the end of October, with 2,672 people completing the programs. Of these, 956 firefighters received training related to live-fire incidents. The center plans to begin operating its own training program for newly appointed firefighters once its dormitory is completed in 2027, and to establish a specialized wildfire suppression training site.

Jin Hyeongmin, head of the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Fire Headquarters, said, "The opening of the Jeonbuk Fire Service Education and Training Center marks a starting point for training specialists in-house, moving away from the previous practice of borrowing facilities in other regions for training. We will expand training opportunities to the private sector as well as firefighters, making the center an institution where all residents can play an active role in safety and that grows together with Jangsu-gun."

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