Seocho-gu 'Min-Gwan Emergency Recovery Team' Operates to Fully Support Flood Damage Restoration

Seocho-gu Launches 'Seocho Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team' Comprising 18 Dong Professional Groups and Residents from the 10th... Residents Assist in Local Damage Recovery, Completing 133 Flooded Homes and Businesses for Rapid Return to Normalcy

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu (District Mayor Seongsu Jeon) announced that it is operating the Seocho-gu ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team’ to quickly restore the households damaged by the recent heavy rain flooding.

The ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team’ consists of about 1,400 members including community leaders from 18 neighborhoods in the district, residents’ autonomy committees, community leaders’ councils, Saemaeul Women’s Associations, neighborhood watch groups, and general residents.

They have rolled up their sleeves and started recovery work in each area since the 10th, when the heavy rain began to subside.

The reason the district operates the ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team’ is that the district’s administrative power alone has limitations in rapid recovery, and especially to gather the strength of residents who know well the characteristics and damage situations of every corner of the neighborhood to carry out fast and meticulous recovery work.

By gathering the residents’ autonomy capabilities for their own neighborhoods and areas, the district plans to establish a system where residents voluntarily participate in recovery whenever various disasters such as heavy rain or heavy snow occur in the future.

Currently, the emergency recovery teams active in each neighborhood are giving up holidays and vacations to visit flooded households and stores, removing ▲mud and garbage ▲operating water pumps ▲cleaning to remove rainwater ▲moving wet heavy furniture and home appliances, sweating for neighbors affected by the flood damage.

Also, they support the district in removing ▲soil and debris on walking trails ▲dredging rainwater drains ▲cleaning side roads damaged in every corner of the neighborhood.

The ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team’ has swiftly completed recovery at a total of 133 locations so far and plans to continue the work until the recovery is fully completed.

Mr. Kim (55), active in the Bangbae 4-dong ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team,’ said, “Since a neighbor I usually know was in trouble, I had no choice but to step forward,” adding, “Disasters can happen to anyone, and I want to be of some help to these people.”

The district supports cleaning tools, meal expenses, and transportation costs to facilitate the smooth activities of the ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team.’ It also establishes an organic network between the neighborhood community centers and the emergency recovery teams to simultaneously conduct situation dissemination and safety education in case of disaster occurrence.

In addition, to address damage situations in every corner of the neighborhood, the district operates not only the ‘Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team’ but also the district mayor’s direct hotline, ‘Seongsu-ssi’s Direct Line.’ Through this, residents are encouraged to report damage situations directly, and currently, about 250 complaints have been received.

Along with this, the district is providing rapid damage recovery by ▲offering temporary lodging facilities for disaster victims and cooking relief kits ▲maintaining roadside facilities and soil runoff ▲supporting water pumps ▲cleaning soil around mountains ▲removing fallen trees.

Moreover, the district is striving for rapid recovery work in severely flooded areas with the help of military units. Mayor Seongsu Jeon has also been inspecting the sites overnight after the heavy rain and assessing the damage situation to ensure the safety of residents and prompt recovery.

Seocho District Mayor Seongsu Jeon said, “I am grateful for the mature residents’ autonomy and local governance where ‘My neighborhood is cared for by me and my neighbors,’” and added, “The Public-Private Emergency Recovery Team and Seocho staff will unite their efforts to restore daily life more quickly.”