Busan launches heat wave safety campaign with volunteer disaster prevention corps

The Busan city government and the Autonomous Disaster Prevention Federation will hold a public heat wave safety campaign Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Seomyeon area to prepare residents for the peak of summer heat.

The campaign marks the federation's first official activity since its executive board was elected last November. About 200 members from the federation and volunteer disaster prevention corps across all 16 districts will take part, distributing heat illness prevention supplies and iced water to the public while promoting safety guidelines for coping with extreme heat.

As climate change drives more intense and prolonged heat waves, the city and the federation plan to focus public outreach on six lifestyle precautions: checking weather forecasts for heat conditions, avoiding outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day, minimizing skin exposure when outdoors, resting in cool locations, drinking enough water, and checking on the safety of family members and neighbors.

Kim Tae-hun, chairman of the Autonomous Disaster Prevention Federation, said the federation is a statutory civilian disaster prevention organization that works in partnership with the city and district governments on disaster prevention. "Beyond the heat wave safety campaign, we also plan to carefully check on vulnerable residents when heat wave advisories are issued," he said.

Kim Gi-hwan, head of Busan's Citizen Safety Office, said the city will work closely with the Autonomous Disaster Prevention Federation — the backbone of community-based disaster prevention — to check on elderly and vulnerable neighbors and mount an all-out effort to protect residents from summer heat.