Suwon City Launches Full-Scale Heat Wave Response Measures

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Kang Han-seo] Suwon City has entered a full-scale heat wave response system to cope with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius.

The city has prepared a 'comprehensive heat wave countermeasures plan' with core strategies including ▲establishing a heat wave response system ▲expanding heat reduction facilities ▲expanding livelihood-focused measures ▲strengthening damage prevention, and will implement heat wave response measures for approximately four months through September 30.

First, when a heat wave advisory is issued, a 'heat wave response task force (TF)' composed of department heads and public health center officials from each district will be formed. The city will establish a real-time damage assessment system centered on City Hall's disaster and safety situation room and build a cooperation and mobilization system with Gyeonggi Province and the central government.

Heat reduction facilities such as cooling fog devices, shade covers, and green curtains, which received positive responses from citizens last year, will also be expanded.

Cooling fog devices, which were installed and operated at two locations last year including Gumaetan Market and the north side bus stop near Suwon Station, will be expanded to five locations including Motgol Market this year. Cooling fog systems spray fine water particles through specially designed nozzles to lower surrounding temperatures by approximately 3-5°C and reduce dust generation in the air.

The city plans to install shade covers at approximately 100 locations including major road crosswalks to help citizens escape from intense summer heat, and create green tunnels made of climbing plants such as bottle gourds along roads near Suwon Station. Green curtains, which lower indoor temperatures by planting climbing plants on the exterior walls of buildings, will be additionally installed at public buildings and other facilities.

Last year, the city installed and operated 167 shade covers at locations including City Hall intersection and Dongsuwon intersection, 28 green curtains at Suwon City Hall and the Parks and Greening Project Office, and 1 green tunnel at Hwaseong Haenggung, among others.

Heat wave shelters will be operated at approximately 480 locations including dong administrative welfare centers, senior welfare centers, and senior gathering places. Anyone can visit and rest at heat wave shelters during regular operating hours.

The city is also developing heat wave response measures reflecting citizen opinions. Civic proposals from the recently held 'heat wave countermeasures idea competition' will be reviewed by the end of this month, and applicable suggestions will be reflected in policy.

Additionally, the city will form a field response team for homeless people living on the streets and users of homeless self-reliance facilities and temporary shelters, and will operate summer rest spaces.

The field response team, composed of the Suwon Fresh Start Comprehensive Homeless Support Center, self-reliance facilities (4 locations), temporary shelters (1 location), 119 emergency medical services, police district branches, and contracted medical institutions, will establish a homeless protection system and safety net, and guide homeless individuals to available summer facilities.

The Suwon Fresh Start Comprehensive Homeless Support Center and Suwon Station 'Dream Space' temporary shelter will operate summer rest spaces for homeless people from the 1st of next month through September 30. When heat wave advisories are issued, the facilities will provide rest spaces (air-conditioned), emergency medicine, drinking water, and other emergency relief supplies, and assist in hospital transport for emergency patients.

Additionally, the city will prevent heat wave-related safety accidents by regularly checking the health status of homeless individuals on the streets through cooperation with Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center Suwon Hospital designated as a homeless medical facility, public health centers in four districts, and 119 emergency medical services. Meanwhile, heat wave advisories are issued when the maximum temperature exceeds 33 degrees Celsius for two consecutive days or more, and heat wave warnings are issued when temperatures exceed 35 degrees. Last year, Suwon City's average summer (June to August) temperature was 26.2°C, and the maximum temperature reached 39.3°C. The number of heat wave days (days with maximum temperatures of 33°C or higher) was 38 days.

A city official said, "We will benchmark heat wave countermeasures from major cities such as Daegu and develop diverse response strategies by synthesizing citizen ideas. We will minimize citizen damage through systematic heat wave response measures," he added.