Busan is good

Mayor Park Heong-joon Conducts Emergency Inspection for Heatwave-Vulnerable Groups... Urges Implementation of Comprehensive Protection Measures

내용

Mayor Park Heong-joon visited Hakjang Social Welfare Center, a senior household in Sasang-gu, and the Saebat Senior Center at 2:40 PM today (28th) to inspect the response to the heatwave that followed nationwide heavy rainfall.

This visit, following the previous inspection of industrial sites on July 14, marks the second field inspection for the "Emergency Heatwave Check" initiative. It aims to listen to difficulties faced by heatwave-vulnerable populations and reflect them in policy, as well as verify that the city’s countermeasures are functioning effectively on the ground.

Since May 15, the city has entered a concentrated response period for the heatwave and is implementing enhanced measures, including ▲strengthening safety measures for heat-vulnerable workers such as mobile and outdoor laborers ▲expanding support for vulnerable groups such as the homeless, elderly living alone, and persons with disabilities ▲and expanding citizen-oriented cooling infrastructure.

On July 11, Vice Mayor for Administrative Affairs Lee Jun-seung convened a “Special Heatwave Response Strategy Meeting” to discuss measures for vulnerable groups and urged close-knit support systems for those at direct risk due to the prolonged heatwave.

The enhanced 2025 heatwave countermeasures for vulnerable groups include ▲activating prevention and response systems ▲providing emergency supplies ▲and strengthening life safety for vulnerable groups.

<2025 Heatwave Measures for Vulnerable Groups>

• 1.Activation of Prevention and Response Systems: Conduct welfare checks and deploy on-site response teams for elderly living alone and the homeless

• ○Safety checks for approx. 42,000 individuals including elderly living alone and persons with disabilities; deployment of emergency safety notification services in 18,000 households

• ○Operation of “Homeless Joint Response Team,” “Dedicated Field Response Teams” (3 teams, 16 members), and 37 emergency shelter rooms

• 2.Emergency Supply Distribution: Provide supplies to elderly living alone, residents of tiny rooms, and disability workplaces (KRW 230 million in disaster relief funds)

• 3.Strengthening Daily Safety: Shorten or suspend senior employment during high temperatures; enhance health management for the homeless and residents of tiny rooms

• ○(Senior Jobs) Suspend work at perceived temps over 31℃, stop at over 35℃, provide 106,000 safety supplies

• ○(Homeless/Tiny Room Residents) Operate mobile counseling centers (Busan Station); weekly field visits by crisis management teams for high-risk individuals

During today’s “Emergency Heatwave Check,” Mayor Park will personally visit ▲the Social Welfare Center ▲homes of vulnerable seniors ▲and cooling centers to listen to voices from the welfare field and inspect the real-life implementation of countermeasures.

First, he will visit the Hakjang Social Welfare Center, which provides comprehensive welfare services and community support, to listen to challenges faced by frontline workers and express gratitude for their efforts.

Hakjang Social Welfare Center not only functions as a welfare center but also includes an at-home senior service center, a small library, and a multi-purpose space called “Deullak-Nallak,” serving as a cultural and welfare hub within the community.

Mayor Park will discuss ways to improve the city’s welfare policies for climate care of vulnerable groups with field experts such as the President of the Community Chest of Korea and the President of the Busan Association of Social Welfare Centers. He will also express appreciation to facility staff and volunteers working hard in the heat.

Next, he will visit a senior household in Sasang-gu to check the safety and preventive systems in place for vulnerable individuals during the persistent heatwave and to hear their concerns.

The city has established a preventive response system in coordination with the caregiving system for the elderly living alone and persons with mobility challenges, and has installed emergency safety alert devices in over 18,000 households. These systems automatically alert 119 if no activity is detected.

Lastly, he will visit Saebat Senior Center, designated and operated as a cooling center, to inspect air conditioning, convenience facilities, and overall user comfort. He will also urge continuous on-site inspections.

The city operates 1,030 cooling centers for vulnerable groups and provides monthly cooling cost support (KRW 165,000/month for two months in July–August) to 2,433 senior centers, including unregistered ones.

• ●Cooling centers (1,030): Social Welfare Centers (42), Senior Welfare Centers (22), Welfare Centers for the Disabled (4), Senior Centers (962)

In particular, as part of strengthened heatwave measures, the city is actively opening public facilities as cooling centers and, since July 14, has conducted a full inspection of all cooling centers in Busan to ensure optimal facility management and user comfort.

Mayor Park emphasized, “With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, we will make every effort to implement thorough protection measures for vulnerable groups such as the elderly living alone and persons with disabilities, ensuring a strong summer heatwave response.”

He added, “Protecting the health of seniors and other vulnerable groups during a heatwave is not only the city’s responsibility but also that of local communities. I urge everyone to check on elderly neighbors and others at risk during this extended heatwave.”

<Support for Emergency Safety Alert Services for Elderly Living Alone and Persons with Disabilities> ◯ In the event of heat-related emergencies, users can press a button to notify 119, or if no activity is detected for a period of time, emergency care workers will check in. ◯ Safety services also include rapid dissemination of weather alerts through personal care assistants for severely disabled individuals living alone.