Raising Awareness of Cooling Spaces under Mercury Taskforce Heatwave Response Plan and Prioritising Access for Vulnerable Communities

Mr David Hoe asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how does the Government intend to raise awareness and publicise the activation and locations of cooling spaces under the Mercury Taskforce heatwave response plan; and (b) whether access to and locality of community cooling spaces can be prioritised for populations more vulnerable to heatwaves including seniors living alone, low-income households, rental flat dwellers and outdoor workers.

Under our national heatwave response plan, which will be activated upon forecast of a heatwave, air-conditioned cooling centres will be open to members of the public, including vulnerable groups, to seek respite from the heat. These cooling centres will be located islandwide at community facilities, such as community centres/clubs, residents' committees, residents' network centres and indoor sports halls. They will generally be situated near residential areas.

Information on the locations and operating hours of the cooling centres will be shared via official Government channels upon activation of the heatwave response plans, together with the other public communications on the heatwave and heat management measures for the public. We will also manage access to cooling centres to ensure that capacity limits are not exceeded, including encouraging the community to work together to ensure that vulnerable individuals have priority access when centres reach their capacity.