Law & Order

Modern rescue gear debuts

(February 18, 2016)

The Fire Services Department today unveiled a host of new equipment that will help its officers tackle difficult rescue scenarios.
 
Delivering the department's year-end review today, Director of Fire Services Lai Man-hin showed the media the state-of-the-art gear.
 
It includes two Rail-Road Fire Appliances - fire trucks that can travel on both roads and rail lines. They will be able to handle any incidents on the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link.
 
The department has bought Closed-circuit Breathing Apparatus that absorbs carbon dioxide, supplements oxygen and cools the exhaled air for recirculation, to prevent the wearer from inhaling smoke and other hazardous substances. They will boost fire-fighting and rescue capabilities in railway conduits and tunnels.
 
It has also bought two Rescue Jet Bikes to boost rescue capabilities around reefs and in other shallow waters.
 
Mr Lai said the department plans to recruit 580 fire and ambulance personnel this year, including 101 at officer rank.
 
It has opened the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy, which is equipped with advanced simulated training facilities to simulate incidents involving railways, tunnels, vessels, aircraft and fuel storage.
 
With an area of 158,000 square metres, the academy provides 526 residential training places. It can also provide specialised training on high-angle rescue, urban search and rescue and compartment fire behaviour.
 
In 2015 the department received more than 34,000 fire calls, a decrease of 5.5% on 2014. And there were almost 758,000 ambulance calls, up 1.4%.