SHANGHAI (UCAN): The parish of Yanchibang in Shanghai’s Jinshan district has adopted measures to protect parishioners from sweltering heat by purchasing medical items and training volunteers.
Father Li Yanjun, the parish priest explained that the parish took the measures to ensure people’s health and safety due to record-breaking temperatures, Xinde.org reported on August 12.
Father Yanjun and about a dozen volunteers collected about 10 types of common summer medicines and medical items from pharmacies, including herbal remedies, medicated balm, heart-relief pills, antiseptics, cooling packs, thermometers, gauze, and bandages, following guidelines in the Chinese Family Emergency Medicine Manual, the report said.
Subsequently, medical kits have been placed at the entrance of the church with red cross signs and marked “free for emergency use,” in both Chinese and English.
The initiative is supported by the Jinshan district unit of the Catholic Patriotic Association.
According to Father Yanjun, a Red Cross paramedic, Zhang Jing, was invited to give emergency first aid training for parish leaders after Sunday Mass. This included detailed demonstrations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, airway obstruction, and heat stroke treatment among others. It was agreed that collective unpacking and inspection of medicines would be held on the first Sunday of each month.
Jing advised replacing nearly expired medicines a month in advance, and any shortages would be made up immediately.
According to the China Meteorological Administration, the country experienced its highest temperatures between mid-March and mid-July since official records began.
The country’s 152 national weather observatories have recorded temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius since mid-July, Al Jazeera reported the agency as saying on July 23.
The government warned the country’s power suppliers to be ready to handle a surge in power consumption as people turn to air conditioning and fans to tackle the soaring temperatures.
