Forecasters, firefighters join hands in emergency response

The China Meteorological Administration and the National Fire and Rescue Administration set up a mutual support mechanism on April 1 to enhance their emergency response ability.

Chen Zhenlin, head of the CMA, said he hopes both departments will improve the sharing of information and collaborative rescue efforts, and strengthen communication between fire and rescue teams and meteorological authorities at the grassroots level.

The CMA will continue to strengthen the application of new forecast technologies and products in emergency rescue, Chen said.

Xu Zhongshun, deputy head of the National Fire and Rescue Administration, said timely, accurate and professional meteorological forecasting and alerts are vital to emergency response and rescue.

In a time of climate change, fire and rescue efforts are in ever more urgent need of accurate meteorological services, Xu said.

Xu said he hopes both sides deepen their cooperation, and that the meteorological authorities can provide more accurate live weather condition information and short-term forecasts and alerts for fire and rescue teams.

Standards aim to make home appliances senior-friendly

The State Administration for Market Regulation has released a set of standards for the design of products used at home to make them more user-friendly for older adults age 60 and above.

The design of the products should be improved, so that they are safer and more reliable for older people to touch, assemble, maintain and dispose of, according to an infographic made by the administration to explain the standards.

The products should also be easier to use to reduce the chances of faulty operation, and be in a style that is in accordance with ergonomics and is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

The standards require notable safety alerts and concise interfaces, with their font, color and brightness meeting the needs of older adults. The products should also issue anomaly alerts promptly.

The materials used for the products should be safe and stable, the standards said, adding that the products should be easy to clean and readjust.

The voice interaction function should be designed in a way that enables the products to avoid faulty operation caused by unclear speech, and supports the recognition of dialects, the standards said, adding that the products should be able to shut themselves down in case of an anomaly.

Ministry cracks down on agricultural malpractices

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on illegal activities that undermine the security and safety of grain and agricultural products.

In a notice issued recently, the ministry laid out a series of tasks to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural supplies, agricultural produce, the slaughter process and genetically modified products, as well as the quarantine of animals and plants.

Illegal behavior will be subject to a harsh response and include actions such as making or selling fake seeds, pesticides and fertilizers, producing or using banned pesticides or veterinary medicines, and faking quarantine documents.

Different regions should take into account their own conditions to prioritize their own tasks, an official with the ministry said.

For example, regions that produce a large amount of seeds should focus on the issue of fake seeds, and regions where many cattle and sheep are raised should target the use of illegal additives in animal feeds, the official said.