Korean Disaster Research Articles

Korean Disaster Surgical Response Team:A Novel Challenge in Disaster

Korean Disaster Surgical Response Team:A Novel Challenge in Disaster

피지의 열대성 사이클론 피해 사례 분석 및 방재 대책에 관한 연구

급변하는 국제환경 속에서 최근 공적개발원조 수원국에서 공여국으로 전환된 우리나라는 우리의 선진 방재 기술을 개도국에 전파하여 개도국 국가들의 재해 방재에 기여할 필요가 있다. 이에 수원국 및 원조 프로그램에 대한 이해가 시급하나, 연구가 부족한 실정이다. 한편 기후 변화로 인한 해수면 상승, 해안지역의 침수 침식, 홍수, 열대성 사이클론 등의 자연재해로 국가존립을 위협받는 남태평양 도서국들은 적은 인구, 좁은 국토, 지리적 고립성 등으로 인해 자발적 대처 능력이 매우 부족하여 선진국과의 협력이 절실한 상황이다. 이에 본 논문은 열대성 사이클론에 대한 피해 조사가 비교적 잘 이루어지고 있는 피지를 선택하여, 피지의 열대성 사이클론에 대한 피해 분석과 방재 대책을 연구하였다. 피지에 직접적 피해를 입혔던 6개의 열대성 사이클론에 대한 피해 보고서를 검토하여, 사이클론 경로, 사망자수 및 원인, 사회 생산 인프라 부문 피해액, 교훈 등을 분석하였다. 이들 분석을 기반으로, 예 경보 시스템 구축, 재난통신 체계 구축, 복합 재해 정보 시스템 구축, 건물코드 정립 및 법규화, 재해 보험법 도입, 친환경적인 해안침식 안정화 방안과 도로 포장 복구 기술 등의 방재 대책을 제시하였다. 피지의 사이클론 피해 사례 및 방재 대책들은 우리나라의 태풍 피해 및 방재 대책과 유사함을 알 수 있었으며, 이에 우리나라의 기존 방재 연구들이 피지의 방재 대책 수립에 많은 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다. 또한, 본 연구의 결과는 남서태평양 도서국들의 상황에 맞는 방재 기술 기반의 공적개발원조(ODA) 프로그램이 개발되는데 도움이 될 것으로 사료된다. Korea became the 24th member nation in the Development Assistance Committee(DAC) in OECD from an aid recipient. We are obliged to transfer our advanced disaster prevention technologies to developing countries, which requires the understanding of aid recipients and aid programs. Meanwhile, the Pacific Islands are prone to natural disasters, such as sea level increase, coastal erosion, flooding and tropical cyclones due to climate change. They are in desperate need of cooperation with developed countries to cope with natural disasters given the lack of management capacity as well as geographical difficulties. This study deals with damage analysis and prevention measures of tropical cyclones, particularly in Fiji. Damage assessment reports of six tropical cyclones(TC-Ami, TC-Cliff, TC-Daman, TC-Gene, TC-Mick and TC-Thomas) are used to conduct the damages analyses, including cyclone tracks, fatalities and causes, damage costs in social, productive and infrastructure sectors, and lessons learned. Based on the damage analyses, disaster management measures, such as early warning system, disaster telecommunication system, integrated hazard information system & tools, building codes, disaster insurance, environment-friendly road pavement and coastal erosion stabilization, are suggested. The study results show that the korean knowledge and knowhow on Disaster Risk Management(DRM) seem to be useful in improving the Fiji's DRM system given the similarity between tropical cyclones and typhoons. In addition, the results are expected to be helpful for developing an Official Development Assistance (ODA) program to strengthen the Pacific Islands against tropical cyclones, with korean disaster prevention technologies.

(P1-10) Post-Deployment Survey of Korean Disaster Relief Team Medical Team Members after the Earthquake in Haiti

IntroductionThe Korean Disaster Relief Team (KDRT) medical team, mainly composed of graduates from first government certified international disaster support education course, deployed to Haiti after the earthquake in January 2010, and operated a medical relief mission. The present study was designed to evaluate the KDRT medical team mission in Haiti.MethodsData were collected via an anonymous questionnaire that was distributed one day after the completion of the mission in Haiti. Questionnaires were composed of four categories.ResultsThe response rate for this survey was 72% (18/25). The KDRT members were relatively young, with 72% of personnel.

An implementation of risk-based inspection for elevator maintenance

Elevators are devices that demand a high safety requirement. The elevator faults affect not only the operations of other assets but may also result in serious injuries or even death. Consequently, an elevator frequently requires the effective and appropriate maintenance strategy to sustain its functional operations. In this study, risk-based inspection, which is a technique for systematic decision-making to identify likely failed components and its consequences, is proposed for elevator maintenance due to a trade-off between economics and safety. The proposed technique is evaluated by using Korean disaster and failure statistic data. The results indicate that the proposed method offers an effective technique for elevator maintenance.

Post-Nargis medical care: experience of a Korean Disaster Relief Team in Myanmar after the cyclone

The objective of this study was to assess the epidemiology and clinical data of patients observed by the Korean Disaster Relief Team, during its deployment in Myanmar, from 6 to 12 June 2008. A cross-sectional, medical record-based study in the Korean Disaster Relief Team clinic, established a month after the cyclone Nargis devastated Myanmar. Data collected included demographic variables, and whether or not the problem was acute or chronic, and traumatic or medical. We included 2641 patients in the study. Of those, 57.6% presented with an acute condition, and the rest had chronic conditions. Approximately 5% of the patients presented with trauma/injury; and in 29% of the trauma cases, the problem was directly related to the cyclone. The most common diagnostic category was musculoskeletal problems (21.5%), followed by respiratory (15.3%), and digestive (14.6%) abnormalities. A little over 5% of patients had posttraumatic stress disorder, and the odds ratio was 2.62 (95% confidence interval 1.63-4.21) for women to have posttraumatic stress disorder. Most of the patients (97.5%) had minor problems and were sent home. In conclusion, a huge unmet medical need in at-risk populations and a relatively large proportion of chronic medical conditions should be considered in any future planning of a similar type of disaster.

허베이 스피리트호 기름유출사고를 통해 본 재난보도의 문제점

On 7 December 2007, the Hong Kong registered tanker Hebei Spirit, laden with 209,000 tonnes of crude oil, was struck by the crane barge Samsung No 1, whilst at anchor about five miles off Taean on the West Coast in Korea. About 10,500 tonnes of crude oil escaped into the sea from the Hebei Spirit. The recent oil leakage from a tanker in seas off Taean has turned the sea farms and fishing areas on the country`s western coast into a sea of oil. Analysts say the spill is considered as one of the world`s devastating sea pollution cases involving oil. In our contemporary society where people are exposed to potential dangers in every aspect, no one can be free from such dangers. With an increase in human casualties due to disaster, disaster reporting plays a vital role in preventing and minimizing damages. Despite such enormous significance, however, Korean disaster reporting has not performed effectively. In this contexts, this study analyzed the problems of disaster reporting in Korea, with the case of Hebei Spirit oil Spill in Taean-gun. And, this study suggest the establish ways and means needed to improve the disaster reporting in Korea with the case of Hebei Spirit case.

Experience of a Korean Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Sri Lanka after the South Asia Tsunami

On 26 December 2004, a huge tsunami struck the coasts of South Asian countries and it resulted in 29,729 deaths and 16,665 injuries in Sri Lanka. This study characterizes the epidemiology, clinical data and time course of the medical problems seen by a Korean disaster medical assistance team (DMAT) during its deployment in Sri Lanka, from 2 to 8 January 2005. The team consisting of 20 surgical and medical personnel began to provide care 7 days after tsunami in the southern part of Sri Lanka, the Matara and Hambantota districts. During this period, a total of 2,807 patients visited our field clinics with 3,186 chief complaints. Using the triage and refer system, we performed 3,231 clinical examinations and made 3,259 diagnoses. The majority of victims had medical problems (82.4%) rather than injuries (17.6%), and most conditions (92.1%) were mild enough to be discharged after simple management. There were also substantial needs of surgical managements even in the second week following the tsunami. Our study also suggests that effective triage system, self-sufficient preparedness, and close collaboration with local authorities may be the critical points for the foreign DMAT activity.

Experience of a Korean Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami in South Asia

Experience of a Korean Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Sri Lanka after the Tsunami in South Asia