Hong Kong Fire Services Department

Fire and special services

Fire Services Headquarters Building (香港消防處總部大樓)

Fire-fighting, rescue and other emergency services are undertaken by the three operational commands － Hong Kong (including marine and off-shore islands), Kowloon and the New Territories. There are 81 fire stations across Hong Kong's 3 operational commands. In 2004, they responded to 35,092 fire calls and 20,059 special service calls. Careless handling or disposal of cigarette ends, matches and candles remained the major causes of fires, followed by incidents involving the preparation of food and electrical faults. Fires claimed nine lives and 451 injuries in 2004. Of the injured, 46 were Fire Services personnel. Special service calls cover a wide range of incidents, including traffic and industrial accidents, gas leakages, landslides, flooding, house collapses, attempts by people to jump from a height and malfunctioning lifts. In 2004, 717 people died and 1,995 others were injured in such incidents. One of the dead and 16 of the injured were Fire Services personnel. The department has 835 operational appliances and vehicles fitted with up-to-date fire-fighting and rescue equipment. The first-line appliances, basically comprising major pumps, hydraulic platforms, light rescue units and turntable ladders/snorkels, are supported where necessary by other special appliances/equipment. A fleet of eight fireboats, including two command boats, one diving support vessel and two diving support speedboats provide fire protection and rescue services within Hong Kong

Ambulance services

Hong Kong Fire Services ambulance

Mercedes-Benz Axor mobile casualty treatment unit

The Ambulance Command operates from 38 depots with 2,350 uniformed staff. The services fleet consists of 268 ambulances, four village ambulances, four mobile casualty treatment centres and 35 paramedic motorcycles. All motorcycles and ambulances are equipped with paramedic facilities to provide paramedic care. In 2004, the Command responded to 574,901 calls, conveying a total of 521,127 patients or casualties to hospitals/clinics, or an average of 1 575 calls a day. There were 106 cases of ambulance personnel sustaining injury whilst on active duty in 2004. Front-line firemen are also trained as first-responders to provide basic life support to casualties and patients before the arrival of an ambulance crew. So far, first-responders are available in 81 fire stations.

Communications

The Fire Services Communication Centre (FSCC) is equipped with a computerised mobilising system for the efficient and effective mobilising of fire-fighting and ambulance resources for fires and emergencies. It is linked to all fire stations, ambulance depots and fireboat stations for dispatch of resources. The FSCC, manned round the clock, also caters for receipt of complaints and enquiries of fire hazards and dangerous goods. During major incidents, it acts as a co-ordinator for government departments and public utilities. The FSCC has five Mobile Command Units which serve as on-scene command and control centres in major incidents. The Third Generation Mobilising System came into operation in phases starting in the first quarter of 2005. The system's objective is to further enhance the capability and efficiency in mobilisation and communications to meet anticipated growth of emergency calls over the next decade.

Licensing and certification

The Licensing and Certification Command enforces fire safety regulations and policies, and processes the registration of fire service installation contractors. The Policy Division deals mainly with the formulation of guidelines on fire protection matters, prosecutions, research and approval of portable fire-fighting equipment and gas cylinders. The Dangerous Goods Division is responsible for the licensing of dangerous goods stores and vehicles, and timber stores. The Fire Service Installations Division and Ventilation Division are responsible for inspecting fire service installations and ventilating systems in buildings respectively. The two regional offices － the Hong Kong and Kowloon West and the New Territories and Kowloon East － are responsible for advising other government authorities on the fire safety measures for the purposes of licensing/registering various types of premises. Officers of the Command are seconded to the Home Affairs Department to inspect hotels, guesthouses, private clubs and bedspace apartments, and formulate fire safety requirements on these premises; whereas some are seconded to the Social Welfare Department to advise on fire protection measures in residential care homes for the elderly.

Fire safety

The Fire Safety Command assists and advises the public on fire protection measures with the aim of enhancing their fire safety awareness. The Community Relations Division is responsible for promoting fire safety and co-ordinating with other government departments and District Fire Safety Committees in stepping up fire prevention publicity. To promote fire safety awareness at district levels, the Division works closely with local fire stations in organising fire safety talks, seminars, exhibitions, fire drills and training of Fire Safety Ambassadors, who are volunteers from various sectors of the community to raise awareness of fire safety. The Commercial Buildings and Premises Division enforces the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance for upgrading fire safety measures in prescribed commercial premises (i.e. supermarkets, department stores, shopping arcades, banks, jewelry or goldsmith premises and off-course betting centres) and specified commercial buildings (i.e. commercial buildings constructed or the plans of building works of which first submitted to the Building Authority for approval on or before 1 March 1987). A Building Safety Loan Scheme has also been established to provide financial assistance to owners of such premises and buildings to upgrade the fire safety measures where necessary. Pending implementation of the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance, the Building Improvement and Support Division continues to inspect old private composite and domestic buildings with a view to enhancing fire safety and advising owners and occupiers concerned on the improved standards to be required. The Fire Service Installation Task Force inspects fire service installations in buildings, handles complaints regarding building fire service installations and monitors the performance of registered fire service installation contractors. The Railway Development Strategy Division scrutinises fire safety strategies and processes building plans of new railway infrastructure projects. It also carries out acceptance tests of fire service installations on completion of those projects. The Theme Park Projects Division formulates fire safety requirements for buildings and other supporting infrastructures in the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park in Penny's Bay. It also carries out acceptance tests on fire service installations upon completion of these works.

Administration and logistic support

The Headquarters Command offers policy, planning, management and logistic support to the operational commands. It also oversees the operation of Fire Services Communication Centre, Airport Fire Contingent, Fire Services Training School, recruitment and examination, workshops and transport, stores and supplies, diving service, physical training, information and publicity matters, staff welfare and statistics. The Administration Division, staffed by civilians, deals with departmental establishment, personnel, finance, appointments, general matters, staff relations, audit and translation service.

Airport fire contingent

The primary role of the contingent is to provide rescue and fire fighting coverage for Hong Kong International Airport. The contingent, which comprises two fire stations (one next to DHL Asia Hub and one on Airport Road at Cathay Pacific City) and two sea rescue berths (east and west ends of Chep Lap Kok) at strategic locations on the airport platform, is equipped with 14 fire appliances, two command boats and eight speedboats.

Diving services

The Diving Unit has a fleet of five diving tenders, one diving support vessel and two diving support speedboats deployed at seven strategic locations throughout Hong Kong, and a three-compartment compression chamber at Stonecutter's Island for treating patients suffering from decompression illness and requiring hyperbaric oxygen treatment. It comprises about 150 active divers responsible for maritime search and rescue within Hong Kong waters down to the maximum depth of 42 metres using compressed air diving equipment and underwater breaking-in tools.

Training

Fire Services Training School (FSTS) provides initial training for recruit fire and ambulance personnel. It also provides refresher and advanced training courses for all fire personnel. Fire Services Ambulance Command Training School (FSACTS) provides initial and paramedic training to recruits and ambulance personnel. It also provides Advanced Ambulance Aid Training at first-responder level to serving fire personnel. The duration of various courses ranges from one day to 26 weeks. The fire and ambulance recruits who have successfully completed the initial training courses will be posted to fire stations and ambulance depots respectively to continue their on-the-job training in order to gain field experience. Apart from providing training for staff of other government departments, private organisations and overseas fire officers, FSTS also runs Youth Pre-employment Training Programmes and Smart Teen Challenge Camps for youngsters jointly with the Labour Department and the Education and Manpower Bureau respectively. FSACTS also provides initial and refresher training on cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to members of the public. In addition to overseas training on latest fire services technology and management skills, officers and instructors also attend various advanced courses conducted by overseas fire professionals in Hong Kong.

Workshops

The Workshops Division is responsible for all engineering matters relating to fire appliances, fire-fighting and rescue equipment. These include design, development, procurement, inspection and maintenance, fitting out, modification, testing and commissioning.

Response times

There are altogether 81 fire stations, 37 ambulance depots and six fireboat stations. They are strategically located to provide an emergency response for all areas. The graded response times for building fire calls are six minutes for built-up areas and nine to 23 minutes for areas of dispersed risks and isolated developments. For emergency ambulance services, the target response time is 12 minutes. The performance target is to achieve these response times in 92.5% of all calls. In 2004, 94.06% of building fire calls and 91.08% of emergency ambulance calls were responded to within the respective target response times.

Public liaison group

The group which comprises 30 members of the public from all walks of life monitors and improves the delivery of the department's public services. It helps foster better understanding between the public and the department.

Gear (Incident Uniform)

• Gallet F1 XF helmet (2015)- all fire crews
• USAR rescue helmet - for urban search teams
• EMS rescue helmet - for ambulance personnel

For other ranks, the name of the station are printed on both sides of the helmet e.g. Shek Kip Mei - SKM on the sides of the helmet. All station names abbreviations are in letters form. However, this does not apply to officers as their rank is shown by stars and pipes on the side of their helmet, unlike other ranks who display their rank as thin lines on their helmets.

• Nomex protection hood
• PBI Matrix Structural Firefighting protection tunic/overtrousrs (2010-)

fire retardant up to 1093c

Superintendent of Fire Services

• Charles May 1868-1879

Firefighters

• Director of Fire Services (DFS) (Traditional Chinese: 消防處處長): Bauhinia over pip over wreathed and crossed torches
  • Deputy Director of Fire Services (DDFS) (Traditional Chinese: 消防處副處長): Bauhinia over wreathed and crossed torches
• Chief Fire Officer (CFO) (Traditional Chinese: 消防總長): pip over wreathed and crossed torches
  • Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO) (Traditional Chinese: 副消防總長): two pips over wreathed crest
• Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) (Traditional Chinese: 高級消防區長): pip over wreathed crest
  • Divisional Officer (DO) (Traditional Chinese: 消防區長): wreathed crest
    • Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) (Traditional Chinese: 助理消防區長): three pips
• Senior Station Officer (SStnO) (Traditional Chinese: 高級消防隊長): two pips over bar
  • Station Officer (StnO) (Traditional Chinese: 消防隊長): two pips
    • Probationary Station Officer (PStnO) (Traditional Chinese: 見習消防隊長): pip
• Principal Fireman (PFn) (Traditional Chinese: 消防總隊目): three bars
• Senior Fireman (SFn) (Traditional Chinese: 消防隊目): two bars
• Fireman (Fn) (Traditional Chinese: 消防員): slide

Ambulance

• Chief Ambulance Officer (CAO) (Traditional Chinese: 救護總長): pip over wreathed and crosses torches
  • Deputy Chief Ambulance Officer (DCAO) (Traditional Chinese: 副救護總長): two pips over wreathed crest
    • Senior Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer (SACAO) (Traditional Chinese: 高級助理救護總長): pip over wreathed crest over bar
      • Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer (ACAO) (Traditional Chinese: 助理救護總長): pip over wreathed crest
• Ambulance Superintendent (Supt) (Traditional Chinese: 救護監督): wreathed crest
• Senior Ambulance Officer (SAO) (Traditional Chinese: 高級救護主任): three pips
  • Ambulance Officer (AO) (Traditional Chinese: 救護主任): two pips
    • Probationary Ambulance Officer (PAO) (Traditional Chinese: 見習救護主任): pip
• Principal Ambulanceman (PAmbm) (Traditional Chinese: 救護總隊目): three bars
  • Senior Ambulanceman (SAmbm) (Traditional Chinese: 救護隊目): two bars
    • Ambulanceman (Ambm) (Traditional Chinese: 救護員): slide

Crest

The new crest removed all colonial elements. Laurel wreath was retained. St Edward's Crown was replaced with Bauhinia. The motto changed from the uni-lingual Fire Services - Hong Kong to the bilingual Fire Services Hong Kong (消防). The badge theme changed from a crowned lion holding a pearl to a pair of fire axes and a burning torch

Flag

As the crest was also used on the flag, it too was changed in 1997. The old red flag was replaced by a purple flag with the new crest. This flag is only flown at Headquarters, whereas the Flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region flies at all fire stations.

Source: Hong Kong Fire Services Department