Korea to build digital emergency response control centre for firefighters in Dhaka

Bangladesh and Korea have signed an agreement under which Seoul will establish a ‘digital emergency response control centre’ in Dhaka for firefighters.

The control centre at the fire headquarters will be equipped in a way that 28 fire stations in Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur will receive emergency calls centrally to respond to the exact location immediately.

There will be “planned and well coordinated” rescue operation through utilising the ICT facilities.

KOICA, Korea’s development arm, Country Director Joe Hyun-Gue, Additional Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs Md. Hedayet Ullah Chowdhury, and Additional Secretary of ERD Shah Md. Aminul Haq signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides on Monday in Dhaka.

Fire incidents are rampant in Bangladesh. Statistics show in 2015 alone, there were 17,488 reported fire incidence causing property damage worth of Tk 8.57 billion. Some 68 people died and 216 injured.

But emergency response and rescue is often slowed down due to manual identification of location.

KOICA has come forward with a support of $7.59 million under a project “Strengthening Ability of Fire Emergency Response (SAFER)” to build the capacity of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Directorate (FSCD).

The officials will also receive training in Korea on “efficient and effective” operation of the control centre, KOICA said.