Modern Historical and Cultural Values of Volunteer Fire Brigade: Sulsan Volunteer Fire Brigade in Impi-myeon, Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do

Abstract

Data investigations and research on the history of firefighting were conducted considering a recent fire museum construction plan. To devise a plan to develop a volunteer fire brigade (the basis of firefighting) in a situation in which most of the real data have been lost or discarded and only some firefighting vehicles and suppression equipment remain, a site visit and relic survey were conducted at the Sulsan Volunteer Fire brigade site in Impi-myeon in Gunsan-si, Jeollabuk-do. It was found that fire wells, manual pumps used since the Japanese colonial period, volunteer fire brigade buildings, and a fire watchtower installed in the 1960s remain. Based on the results and considering the historical and cultural values of the Sulsan Volunteer Fire brigade in Impi-myeon at that time, this study emphasized the importance of fire history and culture, the need to designate and preserve such sites as registered cultural properties, and the new role of the volunteer fire brigade.