The introduction of a USN-based Fire Protection Model: Regarding the Seomun Traditional Market in Daegu, Korea

A fire always lurks close to us in relation to our lives. Many fire accidents that cause casualties and loss of property have been described in newspapers arousing peoples attention to safety. A typical example is the fire that occurred at Seomun Market in Daegu, Korea in December 2005. According to a report of the Fire Department, the fire caused about 100 million dollars worth of damage. The stores and shops in traditional market places have long played a central role in the transaction of goods and services, however, these markets have been on the decline recently because the stores have been poorly designed and constructed. These markets have not responded to environmental changes either internally or externally, so there is always a potential risk of fire. In order to prevent fires at traditional markets, the Korean government decided to install the U-FPMS (Ubiquitous Computing-based Fire Protection and Management System) in the Seomun Market Place in order to detect fire. Like this, the materialization of ubiquitous computing which is capable of communication anywhere is being developed due to the advancement of Information and Network Technology. Such technology provides a better environment for civilization. We use these ubiquitous technologies to bring about a more efficient and safer way of conducting our lives. This research introduces the U-FPMS and discusses how to make use of ubiquitous computing with regard to fire protection.