2011 Safe Seoul Festival

By Shim Hyun-chul

More and more disasters are occurring around the earth, including the recent earthquake in Japan, tornados in the United States and volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Though humans cannot overcome the power of Mother Nature, safety education would at least minimize damage from such natural disasters.

Fire engines, firefighting helicopters, ambulances and other rescue equipment all gathered in Yeouido Park, Seoul, last week, for the 2011 Safe Seoul Festival, co-hosted by Seoul City and Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance.

Children, along with parents and teachers, experienced various programs, from those on fire and disasters to traffic accidents and other daily dangers.

This was the festival’s fifth year and it has become the largest of its kind in Korea.

This year an earthquake experience facility was installed to provide citizens with chances to try an evacuation drill during earthquake and some 100 firefighters and more than 20 safety related organizations joined the festival.