The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, visited Sha Tin Fire Station this afternoon (June 8) for an update on the work of the Fire Services Department (FSD) in firefighting and rescue as well as emergency ambulance services.
 
     Accompanied by the Director of Fire Services, Mr Li Kin-yat, Mr Cheung was given a briefing on the initiatives undertaken by FSD to respond to the rapidly changing society to enhance firefighting, rescue and ambulance services, as well as projects to improve mobilising and communications equipment.
 
     Following a demonstration by the Hazardous Material (HazMat) Team and the High Angle Rescue Team (HART), Mr Cheung toured various fire appliances to gain a better understanding of mass decontamination procedures and rescue operations.
 
     The HazMat Team and HART are specialist teams. The HazMat Team attends incidents involving hazardous materials to provide frontline members with technical support and offer professional advice to the Incident Commanders. As regards the HART team, they are tasked to carry out rescue operations at high-angle locations with special features, such as cable cars, tower cranes, bridge towers, scaffolding at construction sites and suspended working platforms at high-rise buildings.
 
     The Diving Unit then provided an introduction of a series of advanced underwater rescue equipment before Mr Cheung proceeded to inspect the operation of emergency ambulance services which is another core duty of the department. He was given a demonstration of different ambulance equipment and different types of ambulances, including Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV), Paramedic Equipment Tender (PET) and Mobile Casualty Treatment Centre (MCTC).
 
     Each RRV is manned by an Ambulance Officer with Emergency Medical Assistant II qualification and equipped with advanced paramedic equipment. It is designed to perform quality assurance duties and discharge duties at tactical or task level in accordance with the Incident Command System, etc. RRVs also need to respond to emergency calls when no ambulance or Emergency Medical Assistant Motorcycle can arrive at the scene within 10 minutes.
 
     Each PET is equipped with a range of essential life-saving equipment and paramedic and medical items, while the MCTC is equipped with an on-board surgical room and a great variety of life supporting equipment. In the event of a major incident, the PET and the MCTC are dispatched for provision of on-site operational support and medical treatment for casualties.
 
     Before concluding the visit, Mr Cheung received a briefing on how the Mobilizing and Communications Group could support both fire and ambulance emergency operations. He also visited a Mobile Command Unit (MCU) which is a specialist fire appliance designed to serve as field command centre during major fire incidents. FSD officers also demonstrated the operation of the Command Support System on the MCU and the department’s Post-dispatch Advice (PDA) service.
 
     PDA is a value-added service that aims to provide to callers seeking emergency ambulance services timely and appropriate advice to help stabilise patients’ conditions prior to the arrival of an ambulance crew. PDA covers more than 30 types of injuries and sicknesses.
 
     Mr Cheung was impressed by FSD’s relentless efforts in enhancing firefighting and rescue strategies and improving quality and efficiency of emergency ambulance services with the aid of advanced equipment.
 
     Commending FSD colleagues on their exemplary devotion to duty and high degree of professionalism, Mr Cheung encouraged them to keep up their good work in serving the community and protecting the public from fire and other calamities.

Ends/Saturday, June 8, 2019
Issued at HKT 18:34

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