As an extreme heat wave continues to grip the country, Jin Kyo-hoon, district mayor of Seoul's Gangseo-gu, stepped up emergency response measures Monday and directed all efforts toward resident safety.
Jin convened an emergency heat wave response meeting at the district office that day, conducting a thorough review of heat countermeasures across multiple areas, including protections for vulnerable residents and safety measures for outdoor workers.
After first checking on resident health impacts, Jin said elderly people and those with disabilities are especially susceptible to disasters such as extreme heat and require particular attention and care. "We must further strengthen field-centered responses so that heat wave measures are fully operational throughout the community," he said.
He added that outdoor workers directly exposed to the heat face a high risk of heat-related illness. He called on officials to closely monitor whether worker protections — including compliance with the five key heat illness prevention guidelines and the securing of rest areas — are being properly observed on site.
The district is pursuing a comprehensive heat wave strategy with resident safety as its top priority, covering resident protection and targeted measures for vulnerable groups and outdoor workers.
Particular emphasis has been placed on close monitoring of heat-vulnerable residents, including the elderly and people with disabilities. The district operates 163 cooling centers for seniors year-round and extends the operating hours of some centers when a heat wave advisory is issued.
The district also conducts ongoing health monitoring for about 1,400 vulnerable residents in need of care, including elderly people living alone and those who collect recyclable waste. Using Internet of Things technology, officials check on residents in real time and plan to follow up by phone or in-person visits to closely assess the health of those who need it.
Alongside this, the district plans to monitor heat-related illness cases in real time and respond immediately in partnership with five local medical institutions, including Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital and Bumin Hospital.
"There must be no gaps whatsoever in matters directly tied to resident safety," Jin said. "Please spare no effort in pushing forward heat wave measures so that the community safety net operates without a single weak link."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
