Study of a Development Plan through Consideration of the Transition Process of Korean Volunteer Fire Department

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to realize volunteer fire departments' historical identity through a review of the transition process from the quickening period of volunteer fire departments to the enactment of the volunteer fire department act in 2014, establish it newly from the viewpoint of changing the basic theoretical concepts, and seek a development plan. For this, the technical approach method was used based on the research method of literature searches. The result of the study established the definition as 'volunteer fire departments are legal auxiliary organizations composed by local residents who volunteer and understand one another with their independent and voluntary will to prepare for all kinds of disasters as well as fire suppression, rescue, and first aid.' and the installation ideology as 'leading service organizations of safety as a form of community involvement', 'resident-friendly organizational activities based on autonomous operational operation' and 'the activities of supplementing their demands according to the realization of social welfare and regional conditions'. Regarding the characteristics, the basic theoretical concept was newly established by 'voluntary participation', 'social expandability', 'the realization and complementation of social welfare', and 'professionalism and possibilities'. In addition it is expected that the results of this study can be utilized as the basic materials in studies of volunteer fire departments in the future.