Gangbuk-gu, Commendation for Outstanding Sponsors of Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign

[Seoul District News] Gangbuk-gu: 43 Awardees Including 1 Seoul Mayor Award, 32 Gangbuk-gu Mayor Awards, and 10 Community Chest Appreciation Plaques... Seongbuk-gu Installs 'Separate Transparent PET Bottle Disposal Bins' in All Public Institutions... Nowon-gu Implements Heatwave Measures Including Outdoor Cooling Refrigerators at Walking Trails and Use of 50 Hotel Rooms as Night Shelters for Seniors During Heatwave Alerts

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangbuk-gu (District Mayor Park Gyeom-su) awarded commendations to 43 individuals for their contributions to the ‘2022 Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign,’ a fundraising movement for neighbors in need, on the 10th.

The district promoted this campaign in collaboration with the Seoul Social Welfare Community Chest from November last year to February this year, spanning three months. Despite the local economy being depressed due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, a total of 1,303 donations were made from various sectors of the community, raising a total of 956 million KRW (474 million KRW in cash and 482 million KRW in goods).

The collected funds are being used to support households facing economic difficulties with living and medical expenses, while goods such as rice and kimchi have been delivered to social welfare facilities that care for neighbors in need.

On the 10th, at the Gangbuk-gu Office auditorium, commendations were presented to 43 outstanding donors who conveyed warm hearts to their neighbors. The Seoul Mayor’s Award went to Choi Yong-min (representative of Ji-in Anesthesia and Pain Clinic), the Gangbuk-gu Mayor’s Award was given to 32 recipients including Won Hye-nam, Samhwa Badminton (representative Lee Sang-shin), and Park Ha-yong (Samyang-dong Comprehensive Welfare Center), and the Community Chest Plaque of Appreciation was awarded to 10 recipients including Kwak Tae-sik, 7th Pharmacy, and Chu Haneul Church.

Additionally, the district conducted fundraising for the Hope Ondol Warm Winter Campaign within each department and awarded 16 departments that achieved excellent results.

At the commendation ceremony, Gangbuk-gu Mayor Park Gyeom-su said, “The warm sharing you have practiced has brought comfort to neighbors facing difficulties,” and added, “We will do our best to spread a culture of sharing in the community and create a bright and warm Hope Gangbuk where we live together.”

Seongbuk-gu (District Mayor Lee Seung-ro) will implement separate collection of transparent PET bottles at all public institutions and actively promote the system.

This is a promotional campaign to ensure the smooth establishment of the system following the implementation of separate collection of transparent PET bottles in all residential areas on December 25, 2021. Starting from March this year, ‘Transparent PET Bottle Separate Collection Boxes’ will be installed in public institutions (▲District Office ▲Community Service Centers ▲District Council ▲Health Center ▲Seongbuk Cultural Foundation and Seongbuk Urban Management Corporation) to lead the public sector and encourage interest and participation from the private sector.

Separately collected transparent PET bottles are recycled into high-quality raw materials capable of producing long fibers, which are then made into valuable recycled products such as clothes and bags.

In addition to this promotional campaign, Seongbuk-gu continuously guides residents for the smooth establishment of the system by posting promotional materials on the Seongbuk-gu Office website and blog, and displaying promotional banners on designated bulletin boards at each Community Service Center.

Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “Through the leading implementation of the system at public institutions, we hope residents will take great interest in the separate collection of transparent PET bottles and actively participate in environmental protection.”

Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will fully activate four heatwave countermeasures, including the outdoor healing refrigerator operation that gained nationwide attention last year.

With forecasts predicting an unusually long and intense heatwave this summer, the district has prepared a ‘4 Major Heatwave Comprehensive Plan’ to prevent various disasters and safety accidents caused by the summer heat and actively protect residents.

The 2022 Nowon-style heatwave measures will be implemented across four areas: ▲Operation of general and nighttime heatwave shelters ▲Operation of outdoor heatwave shelter healing refrigerators ▲Protection measures for heatwave-vulnerable groups ▲Convenience measures for residents.

□ Operation of Outdoor Heatwave Shelter Healing Refrigerators

The most eye-catching measure is the operation of healing refrigerators. First introduced by Nowon-gu and benchmarked by local governments nationwide last year, the healing refrigerators will operate from July to August, when the heatwave is most severe.

Last year, they operated for 42 days at 19 locations including riversides, walking trails, and temporary screening clinics, supplying over 2.63 million bottles of water. This averages more than 62,000 bottles per day. Healing refrigerators help prevent emergencies caused by sudden dehydration and heatstroke during outdoor summer activities, providing benefits beyond mere convenience for residents.

This year, refrigerators will be placed at outdoor heatwave shelters such as walking trails and riversides to supply cool water to residents. Locations include seven walking trails such as Bulamsan Butterfly Garden, Bulbit Garden, Yeongchuksan Circular Trail, and Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail, as well as nine key points along Jungnangcheon, Danghyeoncheon, Uicheon, and Mukdongcheon streams, totaling 16 locations.

□ Designated Operation of General and Nighttime Heatwave Shelters (photo)

Heatwave shelters are a representative heatwave countermeasure for elderly people vulnerable to heat.

The concept of heatwave shelters began in 2018 during a record-breaking nationwide heatwave. Nowon-gu was the first to operate a nighttime heatwave shelter for the elderly in the district office auditorium, and word spread quickly. At that time, Minister of the Interior and Safety Kim Boo-kyum personally visited and praised it as an excellent local government heatwave response case, leading to benchmarking by other districts in Seoul and nationwide.

Since then, nighttime shelters have been upgraded every summer to better serve residents. Low-income and elderly living alone in Nowon-gu can spend comfortable nights at nighttime heatwave shelters set up in hotels.

When a heatwave advisory is issued, 50 hotel rooms contracted by the district are designated as nighttime safety accommodations. From late July, during peak advisory periods, these rooms operate from 8 PM to 7 AM the next day, providing elderly residents with cool and comfortable sleeping spaces.

Last year, nighttime shelters operated for 31 days from July 13 to August 31 during heatwave advisories, serving a total of 1,211 people including basic livelihood security recipients and vulnerable elderly living alone. Due to high satisfaction, the number of elderly visiting nighttime shelters is expected to continue increasing.

Notably, this year, 246 senior centers that had been closed due to COVID-19 have reopened, allowing elderly residents to escape the heat in more familiar and nearby locations. Senior center heatwave shelters are open to elderly residents during weekday daytime hours.

□ Protection Measures for Heatwave-Vulnerable Groups such as Elderly and Disabled

Heatwave protection measures implemented by the district are tailored as needed for various residents including low-income crisis households, elderly living alone, and outdoor workers.

First, the ‘Knock Knock Care Team,’ which has played a role in eliminating welfare blind spots and serving as a welfare delivery network in the community, will act as healthy summer guardians for vulnerable groups during the heatwave. Last year, they received donations of side dishes, summer health foods, patches, and hand fans, which were delivered to about 4,600 recipients. This year, support for cooling supplies will continue, along with ongoing welfare checks for Knock Knock recipients.

Strengthened welfare calls for the elderly and elderly living alone will also be promoted. During heatwave advisories, disaster information will be disseminated to 3,600 elderly receiving customized care services and about 12,000 people including elderly living alone, disabled, and chronic disease patients enrolled in home health care programs. If calls are not answered, emergency visits will be conducted as part of a special management system.

Public job safety management measures are also in place. Outdoor workers with long hours will be provided with cool sleeves, cool scarves, mini fans, etc., and flexible working hours will be implemented during heatwave warnings to suspend work during midday hours.

Additionally, apartment security guards who have had to work in the heat every year can now work in a comfortable environment. The ‘Security Office Air Conditioner Installation Support Project,’ funded with 200 million KRW from the district last year, has been completed. In 2022 alone, air conditioners were newly installed or replaced in 448 security posts, equipping all 1,295 security offices in the district with air conditioning. This year, the district plans to identify and replace malfunctioning or outdated air conditioners to support a comfortable working environment for security guards.

□ Convenience Measures for Residents

Shade shelters have been installed and operated to protect pedestrians from the hot sun while waiting at crosswalks. A total of 118 locations have been set up at major crosswalks and traffic islands with heavy foot traffic. The number of two-step folding healing chairs attached to the shade shelters will increase from 30 to 40 to provide more convenience to pedestrians. Additionally, four new smart shade shelters that automatically open and close in response to the surrounding environment, based on IoT and solar power technology, will be newly installed.

Cooling fog operation is also being prepared. Using water molecule evaporation, cooling fog lowers the surrounding temperature by 2 to 5°C without wetting clothes or skin. Currently installed at Hannae Neighborhood Park and Jongdalse Children's Park, it will operate in line with the opening of outdoor water play areas.

Furthermore, to reduce the urban heat island effect, six street watering vehicles will conduct watering operations twice daily on 12 major road routes and six zones. The district will also provide heatwave preparedness tips through social media and other channels to protect residents’ health and safety in various ways.

Nowon-gu Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “We will make every effort to prevent vulnerable groups such as elderly living alone from suffering damage during this long and intense heatwave,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to protect the precious lives and property of residents from all kinds of disasters.”

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