Utilizing Disaster Helpers and Welfare Personnel...
On-Site Well-being Check System
Support for Children in Meal Blind Spots
and Customized Provision of Cooling Supplies
Pohang City has developed and is set to implement the "2025 Summer Protection Measures for Vulnerable Groups" to protect socially vulnerable populations such as the elderly, homeless individuals, and children from summer heatwaves, and to proactively respond to disasters such as typhoons and storm damage.
Lee Gangdeok, Mayor of Pohang, visiting the senior center in Cheongha-myeon during the past heatwave to listen to the opinions of the elderly. Provided by Pohang City
This initiative, which will run for four months from June to September, includes a wide range of support measures to ensure health management and safety for groups vulnerable to heatwaves, such as basic livelihood security recipients, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The city has formed a joint task force within the Welfare Bureau, comprising the Welfare Policy Division and the Elderly and Disabled Welfare Division, to comprehensively manage everything from the development of heatwave countermeasures to on-site responses for vulnerable populations.
Additionally, 489 disaster helpers?including social workers dedicated to supporting the elderly living alone, life support workers, and emergency management personnel?have been deployed to deliver heatwave information and systematically check on the well-being of vulnerable individuals through phone calls and home visits.
Cooling shelters will be operated primarily at 641 senior centers, with financial support for air conditioning costs to ensure that the elderly can stay comfortably during the heatwave period.
Each senior center will receive an annual subsidy of 330,000 won for cooling expenses, while social welfare facilities will be provided with monthly support ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 won depending on their size, leading to tangible improvements in their environments.
Efforts to identify those falling through the cracks of the welfare system will also be strengthened. Pohang City will proactively discover at-risk households by utilizing both public and private personnel, and will reduce blind spots in support by using the "Happiness Connection Welfare Beneficiary Discovery System (Big Data)."
Furthermore, the city will operate the "Knock-Knock Well-being Check Service," "Pohang Hope Talk," and a crisis household reporting reward system, among other initiatives, to further systematize the prevention of solitary deaths and crisis response.
Through the "Pohang Together Happiness Fund" project, the city will provide essential home appliances (such as cooling devices), and will also implement the home medical benefit optional service (including medical care, caregiving, meals, and transportation) to alleviate daily inconveniences and help residents stay healthy throughout the summer.
For children at risk of missing meals during school vacations, the city will support group meals at local children's centers, meal cards, and lunchbox delivery, establishing a meal support system that enables up to two meals per day to be provided on weekdays, Saturdays, and holidays during the vacation period.
In addition, through the "Cool Summer Support Project," the city will provide summer supplies worth 100,000 won?including bamboo blankets, probiotics, Misugaru, cooling sleeves, and insect repellent kits?to 245 low-income households with incomes at or below 100% of the median income.
Mayor Lee Gangdeok stated, "With heatwaves becoming a part of daily life due to climate change, we have established comprehensive welfare measures to ensure that citizens can spend the summer in good health and safety. Going forward, we will continue to make Pohang a city where citizens can feel secure, not only against heatwaves but also in the face of various disaster situations."
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