Changwon Special City Establishes Heatwave and Wind-Flood Disaster Response System ... Ensuring Thorough Accident Prevention

Comprehensive Summer Measures Prepared for Safety

Four Areas Including Health Measures Implemented

Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam will actively implement a "Comprehensive Summer Measures" plan for four months from the 5th to September 29th to prepare for heatwaves, wind and water disasters, and other emergencies.

The city has formed a T/F team to promote the comprehensive summer measures and established 28 detailed plans across four areas: ▲health and hygiene management ▲public safety ▲inconvenience resolution ▲energy saving, dedicating administrative efforts to ensure citizens can spend the summer safely and healthily.

Changwon Special City Hall, Gyeongnam.

First, as the probability of waterborne and foodborne infectious diseases increases due to high temperatures, humidity, and the rainy season, the infectious disease surveillance system will be strengthened. For infectious disease response, emergency duty will be conducted from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on holidays, focusing on blocking the occurrence and spread of infectious diseases through continuous monitoring.

With abnormal weather and the super El Ni?o phenomenon expected to cause more frequent heavy rains and heatwaves than usual, thorough preparation will be made for natural disasters by establishing and implementing situation response plans. Vulnerable areas will be repeatedly inspected and reinforced to prevent loss of life and property, and an alert system has been established to quickly and accurately disseminate real-time disaster information. In this regard, Mayor Hong Nampyo emphasized at the executive meeting held on the 2nd that the methods of delivering disaster alert (text) messages and the guidance content should be thoroughly checked to prevent confusion among citizens.

The city inspected 98 vulnerable areas prone to landslides caused by heavy rain and improved the resident evacuation response system in collaboration with the Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to establish a work system that can respond proactively during crisis alerts. Safety management personnel will be deployed early (from June 1 to August 31) at major water recreation areas, and 949 indoor and outdoor heat shelters for heat-vulnerable groups will be fully opened. Additionally, various workplaces with high outdoor activity will operate a "Heat Break" rest time system.

Furthermore, a special inspection team for livestock management will operate from July 1 to August 30 to support small-scale farms vulnerable to livestock management with facility management guidelines and veterinary care. The city will also promote environmental improvement projects for livestock farms, such as livestock disaster insurance, livestock vitamin support, and livestock facility improvement projects, to help prevent heatwave damage.

Measures to resolve citizen inconveniences that frequently occur during summer have also been prepared. The city plans to create a pleasant urban environment and improve citizen satisfaction by intensively cracking down on illegal garbage dumping areas, conducting comprehensive maintenance of park and recreational facility equipment, and removing dead trees and old support posts.

Moreover, to prevent energy waste during the summer when electricity consumption surges, the city will focus on managing and educating high electricity-consuming buildings and workplaces and carry out an "Energy Saving Campaign" to foster an atmosphere where citizens actively participate in efficient energy use.

Mayor Hong said, "As record-breaking heavy rains and heatwaves are predicted due to abnormal climate, we will do our best to establish a flawless disaster response system to protect citizens' lives and property," and added, "I also ask all citizens to refrain from outdoor activities during heatwaves, take sufficient rest, and familiarize themselves with summer disaster preparedness guidelines in advance to ensure their safety."