Yun Byeong-tae, Mayor of Naju, Visits Heat Relief Shelter to Inspect Cooling Equipment

Published 02 Aug.2023 16:30(KST)

Naju City in Jeollanam-do is prioritizing citizen safety and making every effort to prevent heat-related illnesses amid a heatwave that has lasted for a week.

According to Naju City on the 2nd, Mayor Yoon Byung-tae has been visiting senior centers designated as heatwave shelters in 20 towns, townships, and neighborhoods since starting in Nampyeong-eup on the 13th of last month, carefully checking the operation of cooling devices, cleanliness, and the well-being of the elderly.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae visited a heat relief shelter in Yeonggang-dong, checked the shelter's operation status, and cheered with local senior citizens.
[Photo by Naju City]

Mayor Yoon extended the operating hours of all heatwave shelters from the previous 6 p.m. to midnight and instructed a facility-specific management responsibility system through staff in charge of each town, township, and neighborhood.

In preparation for the heatwave, the city replaced and distributed 34 old or broken air conditioners in heatwave shelters with new units starting in May.

Last month, the city provided 250,000 KRW in cooling costs to all 614 heatwave shelters.

Additionally, depending on the number of users at each senior center, the city plans to support operating expenses, meal costs, and supply seven 20kg bags of rice per senior center throughout the year. To improve convenience for senior center users and support joint health for elderly residents, the city completed the distribution of standing tables and chairs to 115 centers last year as a key project of the 8th municipal administration.

The city plans to distribute standing tables and chairs to an additional 200 senior centers within this month and complete distribution to the remaining 305 centers by the end of this year.

Earlier, from the end of June, as the monsoon season ended, the city has been operating a ‘Level 1 Emergency’ response system with 12 collaborative departments since the heatwave advisory was issued on the 27th of last month.

On the 2nd, the city held an urgent heatwave response status review meeting chaired by Deputy Mayor Kang Young-gu at the Disaster and Safety Situation Room in City Hall to check the progress of heatwave management measures based on weather forecasts.

The city is also focusing on managing vulnerable groups exposed to the scorching sun, such as elderly agricultural workers and outdoor construction workers, in addition to elderly people living alone.

All available personnel, including 175 customized elderly care service workers and 8 visiting nurses, are mobilized to check the health and well-being of elderly people living alone who are vulnerable to heat.

At vulnerable workplaces such as construction sites, text messages are sent to encourage the operation of a ‘heat rest time system’ (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

The city is also thoroughly managing heat reduction facilities, including regular inspections of 221 shade structures (parasols) installed at pedestrian crossings with heavy foot traffic.

In the old downtown area, Yeongsanpo, Bitgaram-dong, and Nampyeong-eup, five water spraying trucks are deployed three times a day (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to lower the temperature of the heated asphalt.

Within Bitgaram Lake Park, along the 303-meter section from the management office to the outdoor stage and Yeoul Bridge, a ‘Cooling Fog’ system that sprays water in mist form and daytime and nighttime ground fountains are operating.

At 22 government buildings, including town, township, and neighborhood administrative welfare centers, the main office (Citizen Service Division), and the Agricultural Technology Center, about 2,700 parasols are provided free of charge for residents to borrow.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae said, “The heatwave following the monsoon is excessively severe, so we must prepare thoroughly in every aspect. Although no heat-related illnesses have occurred so far, I ask for full preparation in operating an emergency room monitoring system for heat-related illnesses and establishing a rapid hospital transfer system linked with the 119 emergency rescue team in case of any emergency.”