Study on the Proposed Expansion of the Fire Engine Priority Signal System to Ensure Golden Time

Abstract

The golden period is a concept in disaster response target-time management. It refers to the centralized response time required to maximize lives saved in an emergency. The National Fire Agency estimates that the golden period arrival time of fire engines is seven minutes. However, the arrival rate has dropped by about 68% in the last five years. Concessions and special provisions for the violation of laws are permitted to enable the swift response of fire engines. Despite this, the vehicles still cannot reach their destinations timeously. In this study, the effectiveness of the priority signal system was investigated using construction status and dispatch data. VISSIM, a traffic flow simulation software, was used to simulate the effectiveness of the priority signal system introduced to Cheong-ju city. This study can be used as the basis for the systematic construction of priority signal systems and further investigation on the topic.