1,100 Disaster Helpers Provide Close Monitoring and Support
Songpa-gu in Seoul will fully implement its "2025 Comprehensive Heatwave Response Plan" through September 30 to protect residents and prevent safety accidents.
The district has established a Heatwave Response Task Force, led by the Urban Safety Division and involving eight departments working together. The task force operates a real-time monitoring and phased response system. In particular, Songpa-gu is focusing on protecting heatwave-vulnerable groups, such as seniors living alone, and expanding heatwave mitigation facilities, making every effort to minimize heatwave-related damage.
The district has strengthened safety management for vulnerable groups who require protection during heatwaves, such as seniors and outdoor workers. Songpa-gu, which has the largest senior population in Seoul, has deployed 1,100 disaster helpers, including visiting nurses, local community leaders, and members of the "Happiness Fence" program, to closely monitor the well-being of seniors living alone. This year, the district has introduced a new "Mobile Safety Education for Seniors" program, where safety instructors visit 27 senior centers to directly teach heatwave safety guidelines and methods for preventing heat-related illnesses.
Songpa-gu operates 188 cooling centers?including community centers, senior centers, and welfare centers?from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Among these, ten district-run senior centers will remain open until 9 p.m. to help residents cope with tropical nights. To protect outdoor workers, the district is also conducting joint inspections of construction sites and implementing mandatory rest periods during extreme heat.
The district will newly install 20 smart shade shelters at locations with high pedestrian traffic, such as intersections near Gaerong Station, Seokchon Station, Wirye-dong, and Pungnap-dong. In addition, special heat-blocking paint (Cool Roof) will be applied to the rooftops of seven senior welfare facilities and senior centers to help lower indoor temperatures. During heatwave advisories, water-spraying vehicles will operate from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on 410 major road sections (totaling 3,705 kilometers) to reduce urban temperatures.
Song Kangseok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, stated, "With the recent increase in abnormal weather events raising concerns about heatwave disasters, we will mobilize all administrative resources to carefully ensure the safety of heatwave-vulnerable groups as our top priority." He also urged, "We ask all residents to pay special attention to safety, including refraining from outdoor activities during heatwaves."
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