SINGAPORE, April 7 — The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) plans to deploy approximately 700 volunteers over the next three months to help protect vulnerable groups during hot and hazy weather.
According to The Straits Times, efforts began on April 6 and will focus on beneficiaries of the organisation’s local programmes, including older citizens living alone and migrant workers who work outdoors.
This marks the first time SRC has distributed care packs specifically designed for heat and haze protection. The packs contain portable fans, face masks, water tumblers, and informational pamphlets in Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English.
According to SRC assistant secretary‑general of operations Charis Chan, the initial phase will prioritise about 75 individuals who are over 80 years old and live alone.
These people are already enrolled in SRC programmes such as the Home Monitoring and Eldercare service or the ElderAid programme. Other target groups include children and youth from lower‑income households, persons with disabilities, and outdoor migrant workers.
The Straits Times previously reported that daily maximum temperatures in the first half of April could exceed 35 degrees Celsius in some locations, and scientists forecast the arrival of the El Nino weather phenomenon, associated with drier and hotter conditions, in the second half of the year.