Jeonnam Province Forms 'Special Heatwave Task Force'... Launches Zero Casualty Response System

Promotion of 'Comprehensive Heatwave Measures' Among 17 Key Tasks in 5 Major Strategies

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Province recently issued a heatwave crisis alert at the 'Interest' stage and formed a special heatwave task force (TF) to minimize property damage and achieve zero casualties due to the heatwave.

According to the province on the 23rd, this summer, abnormal climate conditions are expected to bring heatwave warnings earlier and with greater intensity.

Accordingly, the province will implement a comprehensive heatwave countermeasure plan consisting of 17 key tasks under five strengthened strategies compared to before.

The existing four strategies?▲Establishing a wide-area response system for heatwave preparedness ▲Creating a safe living environment from heatwaves ▲Expanding heatwave damage reduction facilities and minimizing damage ▲Promoting heatwave prevention and preparing for future heatwave disasters?will be supplemented by focusing on three additional vulnerable sectors.

The three vulnerable sectors are ▲Outdoor workers at construction sites ▲Elderly-centered agricultural workers ▲Vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone and homeless people.

To prevent casualties among these groups, Jeonnam Province is distributing a 'Self-Diagnosis Checklist for Determining Heatwave Vulnerability' for outdoor construction workers and strengthening drone-based surveillance activities of rice paddies and fields during heatwave warnings.

Additionally, the province plans to conduct frequent visits by health management personnel to vulnerable groups with insufficient self-heatwave response capabilities, operate counseling centers and parasol rental stations for homeless people, and provide customized heatwave response supplies to households.

Existing measures have also been supplemented. To prevent workplaces from being penalized for serious industrial accidents, the department managing and supervising outdoor construction sites has been included in the special task force.

Following the lifting of COVID-19 social distancing mandates, all 8,268 indoor and outdoor cooling shelters in the province will be fully opened and operated.

A pilot project with the Gwangju Regional Meteorological Administration will attach QR codes to smart shade shelters in the province to provide real-time weather information and heatwave action guidelines. The number of heatwave damage reduction facilities in the province will increase by 142 to a total of 1,670 during the heatwave countermeasure period.

Heatwave countermeasures have also been prepared for welfare, agriculture, livestock, and fisheries sectors. When a heatwave warning is issued, disaster helpers such as elderly caregivers and community leaders will share weather information and coping methods with livestock farmers and fishers via text messages.

18 billion won will be provided for summer cooling costs at senior centers and elderly welfare halls.

In agriculture, 130.9 billion won will be invested in modernizing fruit production facilities, reducing production costs for horticultural facilities, and subscribing to crop disaster insurance. In livestock, 9 billion won will support heat-blocking roofing, high-temperature stress alleviators, and livestock disaster insurance subscriptions. In fisheries, 26.3 billion won will be allocated for seaweed land-based seedling and freezing net facilities, and aquaculture disaster insurance subscriptions.

The aquaculture disaster insurance will reduce the self-pay rate for fish farms from the existing 20% to 10% to increase insurance subscription rates.

Kim Jong-gap, Director of the Jeonnam Provincial Safety Office, said, “As the heatwave season begins in earnest, we will expand heatwave response infrastructure and maintain the response system to proactively prevent damage to the precious lives and property of residents. When a heatwave warning is issued, please avoid excessive outdoor activities in rice paddies, fields, and outdoor construction sites, drink plenty of water, and rest in nearby cooling shelters or shaded areas.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.