On-site Inspection Including How to Report Safety Warning Lights at Single-Person Stores
All 5,000 Sets Distributed... Applications Closed the Day After Opening
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon will conduct an on-site operational inspection of the 'Single-Person Store Safety Warning Light,' a system where pressing an emergency bell activates a flashing light outside the store along with a siren sound during emergencies. The 'Safety Warning Light' is part of Mayor Oh's initiative called the 'Oh Se-hoon Style Daily Safety' project.
On the morning of the 13th, Mayor Oh will visit a single-person store (nail shop) located in Jung-gu, where the Safety Warning Light has been installed, to personally check the operation procedure of the light in dangerous situations and the process linking to police dispatch.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the meeting for the Safe Warning Light Support Project held on the 1st at Seoul City Hall in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Seoul City]
The 'Single-Person Store Safety Warning Light' is a system that, when the emergency bell is pressed during an emergency, activates a flashing light outside the store and sounds a siren. At the same time, the district control center verifies the location and nearby CCTV footage, and the police stationed within the center request patrol cars near the store to dispatch.
Although only about a month has passed since distribution, so actual usage cases are still limited, the effectiveness has been verified as the police have responded to incidents such as pedestrians causing disturbances in front of stores thanks to the Safety Warning Light. Above all, many on-site opinions expressed that just having the Safety Warning Light installed in their store provides a sense of security.
Earlier, Seoul City distributed a total of 5,000 sets of the 'Single-Person Store Safety Warning Light' in July to ensure the safety of single-person stores such as cafes, beauty salons, and nail shops. The prepared quantity was fully booked in less than two days after applications opened, and additional support requests have continued recently, receiving praise as a policy that was essential for single-person stores, which are more sensitive to safety issues.
Among the stores that received the Safety Warning Light, 499 (10.0%) were male-owned and 4,501 (90.0%) were female-owned, showing a higher application rate among women. By age group, those in their 50s were the largest at 1,493 (29.9%), while those in their 20s were the smallest at 137 (2.7%). By industry, beauty salons were the most common with 1,207 (24.1%), followed by real estate agents with 809 (16.2%).
The portable safety bell, also initiated by Mayor Oh's idea, is progressing smoothly. 'Help Me' is a portable safety bell in the form of a keyring featuring the Hatch character, which can be attached to a bag during normal times and, when the button is pressed in a dangerous situation, emits a warning sound and sends an emergency report. A total of 50,000 units are planned to be distributed by the end of the year. The first batch of 20,000 units sold out within 100 minutes of the application opening on the 5th, showing great popularity, and an additional 30,000 units will be available for application in December. Mayor Oh said, "I hope the Safety Warning Light, which automatically reports emergencies, will help prevent crime and ensure safety for single-person store owners." He added, "Seoul City will continue to prioritize citizens' safety and do its best to realize a special safety city."
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