Suwon City Launches Special Winter Protection Measures for the Homeless

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City announced on the 19th that it will implement special winter protection measures, including nighttime patrols, to help homeless people in the region get through the winter safely.

To this end, the city has prepared special winter protection measures for the homeless, and until March next year it will protect and provide relief supplies to homeless people exposed to various dangers such as cold waves and COVID-19.

Currently, there are approximately 170 homeless people in Suwon. Of these, 114 are identified as street homeless, making protection activities to prevent them from freezing to death urgently needed in the event of a sudden cold wave.

Accordingly, the city has formed a homeless on-site response team to strengthen patrol activities from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The on-site response team is jointly composed of protection institutions such as the Comprehensive Support Center for the Homeless and self-reliance facilities, administrative agencies such as districts and neighborhoods (dong), related institutions such as the Maesan and Seoho Police Substations and the Suwon Fire Station, and private organizations such as the Suwon City Marine Corps Veterans Association.

In particular, the Suwon City Marine Corps Veterans Association decided to patrol areas frequented by the homeless during late-night hours, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. the next morning, and check for emergency situations.

During patrol activities, relief supplies such as hot packs, sleeping bags, blankets, and hot water, as well as masks, will be prepared and provided to help homeless people shivering in the cold.

In addition, through temporary housing support, the city will provide temporary shelters, gosiwon (small rented rooms), and inns, and will strengthen emergency medical support to prevent hypothermia and other conditions by regularly checking their health status.

Private support for the homeless has also been added. On the 12th, Hanbeot Church, which provides free meals to the homeless and vulnerable groups, distributed gift packages containing winter jumpers, pants, earmuffs, nutritional supplements, bulgogi, japchae, and beverages to 300 people.

Seo Kyung-bo, Director of the city's Welfare and Women's Bureau, said, "We will strive to ensure that not only the homeless, who face the double burden of COVID-19 and the cold wave, but all vulnerable groups can cope with the cold wave safely."