LCQ19: Visual fire alarm system
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Question:
It is learnt that the fire alarm systems currently used in residential buildings in Hong Kong are primarily audible ones, while visual fire alarm systems (visual alarm systems) are mainly used in common areas rather than installed in units. There are views that in the event of a fire, persons with hearing impairment will miss the opportunity to escape because they are unable to notice audible alarms, which will even endanger their lives. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) given that both the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS) have introduced schemes to install visual alarm systems free of charge in the units of tenants with hearing impairment (the installation schemes), whether the authorities know the current respective numbers of beneficiary tenants under the HA and the HKHS;
(2) whether it knows if the HA and the HKHS will consider extending the installation schemes to households of the Tenants Purchase Scheme and subsidised sale flats; if so, of the respective timetables and estimated numbers of beneficiary households; if not, the reasons for that;
(3) whether the various subsidy schemes under the Building Safety Loan Scheme of the Buildings Department (BD), the Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme of the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and the Community Care Fund currently cover the installation of visual alarm systems in the units of households with hearing-impaired members; if so, of the respective numbers of beneficiary households and amounts of subsidies or loans granted; if not, the reasons for that, and whether the BD and the URA will consider relaxing the scope of relevant subsidies to benefit households with hearing-impaired members;
(4) whether the Fire Services Department has compiled statistics on (i) the respective numbers of cases in the past five years where persons with hearing impairment sought assistance via the 999 Emergency Hotline, the 992 emergency SMS service or the HKSOS application due to fire incidents and (ii) the number of cases in the past five years where persons with hearing impairment were delayed in evacuating or being rescued because they were unable to receive audible fire alarms; and
(5) as it has been reported that the installation of visual alarm systems in private buildings requires the approval from owners' corporations and may involve modifications to the existing fire-fighting systems, making it difficult to proceed with the installation works, whether the authorities will consider amending legislation and relevant building design standards to mandate the installation of visual alarm systems in units of newly completed buildings, while providing support for the installation of such systems in units of old buildings?
Reply:
President,
The policy objective of the Government is to create a barrier-free environment for persons with disabilities, enabling them to use various facilities, including fire service installations and equipment, on an equal basis with others and in a barrier-free manner, thereby safeguarding their life and property. In this regard, the Government attaches great importance to the needs of persons with hearing impairment in receiving fire alarm signals. Regulation 72 and Schedule 3 of the Building (Planning) Regulations (Cap. 123F) under the Buildings Ordinance (Cap. 123) stipulate the design requirements for access to and use of buildings and their facilities by persons with disabilities, so as to ensure that private buildings are provided with reasonable barrier-free access and facilities. To this end, the Buildings Department (BD) has issued the Design Manual: Barrier Free Access (Design Manual) which specifies the categories of buildings and premises required to be provided with a visual alarm system. The visual alarm system is connected to the fire alarm system. Once the fire alarm of the building is triggered, the visual alarm system will flash simultaneously to alert persons with hearing impairment of the fire alarm. For buildings required to be provided with a visual alarm system, the Fire Services Department (FSD) has also stipulated stringent technical and installation requirements, such as the use of red flashing lights, through the Code of Practice for Minimum Fire Service Installations and Equipment. Apart from the aforementioned regulatory requirements applicable at the building design and construction stages, the Government has also adopted diversified measures to cater comprehensively for the needs of persons with hearing impairment in different residential settings. These include the installation of visual alarm systems for hearing-impaired tenants by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA) and the Hong Kong Housing Society (HKHS); the promotion by the FSD of smart fire service installations with multi-sensory alert functions; and the provision of targeted support where necessary.
In consultation with the Housing Bureau, the Development Bureau and the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau, the consolidated reply to the question raised by the Member is as follows:
(1 and 2) Since 2020, the HA has provided free installation of visual alarm systems for tenants with hearing impairment residing in rental units of public rental housing (PRH) estates, Tenants Purchase Scheme (TPS) estates and Buy or Rent Option estates upon their request. Also, since 2020, the HKHS has offered free installation of visual alarm systems for tenants with hearing impairment inside their units in rental housing estates. The installation of visual alarm systems is voluntary. Tenants with hearing impairment can apply and complete the necessary procedures at their respective Estate Management Offices which will then arrange for the installation work. As of April 2026, the HA has installed visual alarm systems in 150 units across 84 PRH estates and one TPS estate; and the HKHS has installed visual alarm systems in 11 units across five rental housing estates.
As for subsidised sale flats, the flats under the HA and the HKHS are identical to other private properties under private ownership. The responsibilities for day-to-day maintenance, management and improvement works rest with the respective owners or owners' corporations and property management companies in accordance with the Government leases, Deeds of Mutual Covenant and relevant ordinances.
(3) The BD's Building Safety Loan Scheme (BSLS) provides loans to eligible owners, which may be used for fire safety improvement works, such as installation of visual alarm system. The BD does not maintain statistics of individual loan applications by breakdown of specific purposes. As for the Building Maintenance Grant Scheme for Needy Owners (BMGSNO) under the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) 's Integrated Building Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme, the subsidy provided to eligible applicants (including recipients of Disability Allowance) can be used to install alarm devices inside owner-occupied units. As of the end of 2025, none of the applications approved by the URA involved such devices.
Regarding the target beneficiaries, BSLS offers both interest-bearing and interest-free loans. Applicants for interest-free loans must be recipients of Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA), or Old Age Living Allowance, or individuals whose income and assets do not exceed specified limits. These income and asset limits are adjusted annually under an established mechanism. Applicants for interest-bearing loans are not subject to any means test. For BMGSNO, in addition to including recipients of CSSA and Disability Allowance as eligible applicants, the Government has relaxed the asset limit for applicants aged 60 or above since July 2020, and it is reviewed and adjusted annually. As the income and asset limits under the two schemes are reviewed periodically, and can strike an appropriate balance between supporting owners in need and ensuring prudent use of public funds, the Government currently has no plans to further relax the eligibility thresholds.
Regarding the Community Care Fund (CCF), the main objective of the CCF is to provide assistance to people facing financial difficulties, in particular those who fall outside the social safety net or those within the safety net but still have special circumstances that are not covered. Since its establishment in 2011, CCF has launched over 80 assistance programmes covering the medical, education, welfare, home affairs and housing areas. There is no assistance programme under the CCF covering the installation of household visual alarm systems for persons with hearing impairment at the moment.
Under the existing mechanism of CCF, bureaux would consider proposals on new assistance programmes according to their policy areas. If any new programmes are considered suitable to be implemented under the CCF, bureaux would submit proposals of these new programmes to the CCF Task Force and the Commission on Poverty for deliberations.
(4) The FSD and the Police do not maintain statistical breakdowns of cases handled by reference to whether the caller or the person concerned is hearing impaired. As such, the relevant figures requested by the Member are not available. It is worth noting that the 992 emergency SMS service and the HKSOS mobile application were specifically introduced for members of the public who are unable to seek assistance through voice calls, including persons with hearing or speech impairments, providing channels for seeking help through text messages, location and multimedia messages. In addition, upon receipt of a request for assistance suspected to be made by a person with hearing or speech impairment, the FSD and the Police will ensure that assistance is rendered in the most appropriate manner (including by means of text messages, video calls or dispatching officers to the scene).
(5) The Design Manual stipulates that the scope of application for visual alarm system covers premises such as shopping complexes, stadiums, hotels, restaurants, markets, carparks, and common areas of offices. The Design Manual does not currently mandate the installation of a visual alarm system in the common parts of residential buildings or within individual domestic units. To update various chapters of the Design Manual in a timely manner, the BD has established a Technical Committee to review experience and gather views. Members include relevant government departments, the construction industry, the rehabilitation sector, and relevant stakeholders. The Technical Committee collects feedback from various sectors from time to time to consider whether it is necessary to further extend the scope of application of visual alarm system to other premises.
Should individual owners wish to install a visual alarm system in areas not specified in the Design Manual (for example, inside domestic units), the FSD is prepared to provide them with relevant fire safety advice and assistance.
Apart from the visual alarm system, the FSD has been actively promoting the use of stand-alone fire detectors in domestic premises to further enhance fire safety. Stand-alone fire detectors can detect smoke at the incipient stage of a fire, subsequently giving warning to occupants within premises, enabling them to have more time for evacuation. In recent years, the market has seen the introduction of smart stand-alone fire detectors with interconnectivity functions. Upon detection of a fire, these devices can instantly push alert notifications to the mobile phones of registered users, enabling them to take prompt contingency actions. This function is also applicable to persons with hearing impairment. In addition, auxiliary equipment for fire detectors designed specifically for persons with hearing impairment (such as strobe lights and vibrating pads) have also emerged on the market, further catering to their needs. The relevant bureaux and departments will continue to closely monitor the latest developments and technological advancements, and will, where practicable, continue to enhance support for households with hearing-impaired members.
Ends/Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Issued at HKT 11:58
Issued at HKT 11:58
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