The Hong Kong Fire Services Department (English: HongKongFireServicesDepartment, HKFSD) currently operates 77 fire stations and 36 ambulance depots, with a staff of 9,351 firemen (including 676 civilians) and 2,350 ambulancemen.
The Fire Services Department (FSD), formerly known as the Fire Brigade under the Hong Kong Police Force, was established on May 9, 1868, and was initially responsible for fire-fighting in Hong Kong to safeguard the lives and properties of the public in the event of a fire. on July 1, 1953, the Fire Services Department (FSD) took over the non-emergency ambulance service from the Medical Department (MSD), and all ambulance resources have been under FSD's management ever since. in 1961, the Hong Kong Government accepted the appointment of Deputy In 1961, the Hong Kong Government accepted the report of the Deputy Chief Secretary, Mr. David Trench, and decided to set up an independent Fire Services Department, which was renamed in July 1983 as the Fire Services Department.
The Director of Fire Services has become one of the principal officials of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), and must be nominated by the Chief Executive of the HKSAR for appointment by the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. The current Director of Fire Services is Mr. Lai Man-hin.
Establishment of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department, formerly known as the Fire Brigade under the Hong Kong Dispatch (now the Hong Kong Police Force), was established through a notice in the Hong Kong Government Gazette that "the Governor is empowered by law to select from the Police Force and from amongst other volunteers such persons as may be fit to form a corps of men to be responsible for the extinguishing of fires in Hong Kong and for safeguarding the lives and properties of the public in the event of fires. The Governor is authorized by law to select from the Police Force and other volunteers suitable persons to form a team to be responsible for the extinguishing of fires in Hong Kong and for the protection of the lives and property of the public in the event of fire, and to provide the team with fire appliances, hoses, fire-fighting equipment, tools and other necessary equipment.
This will not only equip the team but will also help to improve its efficiency. The fire brigade established under this Ordinance shall be named the Hong Kong Fire Brigade and shall be under the supervision and control of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade ......." Following the passage of the bill, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade was established on May 9, 1868, and formally separated from the Hong Kong Dispatch, with Police Captain and Victoria Prison Superintendent Charles Murray also acting as Superintendent of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade.
Responsibility for emergency ambulance service
The provision of emergency ambulance service became one of the professional responsibilities of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade from 1914.
In 1921, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade was gradually expanded to a department of 140 regulars, rising to 174 the following year.
In 1938, the Reserve Fire Brigade was formed to supplement the regular firemen in fire-fighting duties.
Before the Second World War, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade consisted of 62 members, supplemented by about 100 additional volunteers of Chinese origin. The establishment of the Fire Brigade at that time was simple: it consisted of a supervisory leader, an assistant supervisory aid, two captains, four assistant captains, 54 expatriate firemen, and at the lowest level about 100 Chinese volunteers.
During the period of Japanese rule in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade suffered severe losses in both human resources and equipment, so that its development came to a halt. Two of the finest fire engines, the "Nafrance", manufactured in the United States, were shipped to Tokyo, Japan, to serve as the royal fire-fighting equipment for the Imperial Palace of Japan. They were not returned to Hong Kong until after the Second World War.
In 1949, the Fire Safety and Prosecutions Branch was established to deal with general fire safety matters.
Responsibility for non-emergency ambulance service
On July 1, 1953, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade took over the non-emergency ambulance service from the Medical and Health Department (now the Department of Health), which deployed all of its ambulance fleet and ambulance personnel to the Hong Kong Fire Brigade. At that time, the ambulance service had 17 ambulances. This merger laid the foundation for the development of the Ambulance Command; since then, all ambulance resources have been placed under the management of the Fire Services Department.
Re-organized as the Fire Services Department
In 1960, the Deputy Chief Secretary, Mr. David Trench, was instructed to look into the various aspects of the Hong Kong Fire Brigade. Together with the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Mr. Jue Shi, he wrote the "David Trench Report". The Hong Kong Government subsequently accepted the recommendations of the Trench Report and decided to set up an independent ambulance service to supplement the Hong Kong Fire Brigade; at the same time, the Hong Kong Fire Brigade was reorganized and renamed the Fire Services Department; and more than 900 members of the Reserve Fire Brigade were stationed in fire stations close to their homes or places of regular employment.
In addition, the report recommends a 10-year phased development program, including the construction of more small fire stations to arrive at the scene within six minutes. The report also recommended a substantial increase in manpower and vehicles, as well as a reduction in the working hours of operational firefighters.
On February 1, 1964, the Fire Services Department implemented a fire classification system.
Localization
In March 1966, the Fire Services Department embarked on localization.
In 1969, it was recognized that the expertise and experience required in fire services was becoming increasingly complex and that the Reserve Fire Brigade was becoming inadequate to cope with the work. As a result, the Service was able to consolidate and merge its reserve staff.
Independence of the Ambulance Department
In 1970, the Ambulance Department was formally named the Ambulance Command and was managed by a Chief Ambulance Officer. In addition, the Fire Prevention and Inspection Section was reorganized and expanded to become the Fire Prevention Unit.
In 1975, the Reserve Fire Department was disbanded.
Unification of the dispatch system
In 1980, all the work previously carried out by the dispatch center and the chain of command of the fire station was centralized in the Fire Services Communication Center located on the 6th floor of the Tsimshatsui Fire Station in order to enhance the efficiency of response.
In July 1983, the Fire Services Department was renamed to its present name.
In April 1991, the Second Generation Mobilizing System (SGMS) was launched and the Fire Services Communication Centre was relocated to the 11th floor of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department Headquarters Building, which is equipped with a centralized computer system.
Transfer of non-emergency ambulance service to other departments
In 1992, FSD announced the phased transfer of non-emergency ambulance service back to the Hospital Authority and the Auxiliary Medical Service. On July 1 of the same year, the last expatriate retired and all posts in FSD were officially filled by Chinese.
Hong Kong since the handover
After the handover, the Hong Kong Fire Services Department has invested heavily in upgrading the equipment and training of its staff, while at the same time stepping up its pro-active fire prevention work to reduce the number of fires, and enhancing fire safety education for the public.
On August 1, 1997, the Fire Prevention Section changed its name to Fire Prevention Headquarters.
On June 1, 1999, the Fire Prevention District was expanded and grouped into two districts - the Licensing and Control District and the Fire Safety District.
In April 2001, the Licensing and Control Region was renamed the Licensing and Permitting Region.
In March 2005, the Third Generation Mobilizing System (TGMS) was launched and the Fire Services Communication Centre (FSCC) was relocated to 2/F, Hong Kong Fire Services Department Headquarters Building.
In November 2006, the West Kowloon Rescue Training Center was opened. In addition, in order to enhance the standard of training and professionalism, FSD proposes to build a modernized Fire Services Training Academy at Pak Shing Kok, Tseung Kwan O, which will be up to international standard.
In October 2009, the FSD Diving Base for the Diving Section was inaugurated. Since then, a number of departments have been set up, including the Collapse Search and Rescue Team and the Fireworks Task Force. In addition, a Stress Counseling Unit was established in the same year in order to improve the health care of personnel.
In 2010, the Fire Services Department introduced a large number of fire suits worth HK$ 6,200 each, commonly known as the "gold suit", made in Lithuania, the middle and outer layers of heat-resistant fireproofing cloth using PBI Gold material, flame-resistant temperature to 1,093 degrees Celsius, 300 degrees higher than the old model, and is more pliable, with a high degree of It is more flexible, has high tear resistance and better breathability, which can reduce the risk of heat stroke and burns. The new flame-resistant jacket has a barrier in the middle compartment and on the sleeves to prevent water and chemical liquids from entering the jacket, and the back and knees are padded in many places. The number of units arrived in Hong Kong in January 2011, and all 13,000 units were shipped to Hong Kong in March 2011 for official use by April of the same year. In July of the same year, all digital radios will be replaced with new digital radios. In addition, the world's first fire safety education bus was built at a cost of HK$6 million and has been in service since March 2011.
On June 1, 2011, the Communications Support Unit was established and the HK$178 million introduction of digital fire radio communications was launched to operate alongside the existing analog communications system. The analog radio receivers installed in fire appliances and ambulances were gradually replaced and the replacement work was completed by the end of the same year. In the new digitalized communication system, FSD has introduced Motorola MTP850Ex digital radios with waterproof, dustproof and anti-interference features. The radios have strong signal strength and clear voice quality, and when coupled with the vehicle transponders and handheld transponders, the enhanced signals can enable users to have clear conversations even if they are located on different floors of an 80-storey skyscraper. At the same time, with the new system, the control room will be able to identify the person in distress by virtue of the unique number attached to the intercom, regardless of whether he/she presses the emergency button or calls for help, thus enhancing the efficiency of support. In August, the High Angle Rescue Team was set up; the FSD hired its first professional clinical psychologist to man the Stress Counseling Unit, and on September 15, the Collapse Search and Rescue Team Training Ground was opened.
In February 2012, the digitalization of fire services radio communications was put into full use. On March 1 of the same year, the Hazardous Materials Team was established to enhance the ability of personnel to respond to incidents involving hazardous materials. On April 1, 2012, the newly introduced fire suit replaced the old fire suit, while the old fire suit was converted to training purpose.
On August 25, 2013, the Fire Services Department (FSD) replaced all cap gas cylinders and replaced the old ones on September 1 of the same year. The new bottle body is made in the United States, the valve combination is made in Germany, the use of improved fiber technology, the inner liner changed to aluminum liner, so that the weight is reduced to 7 kilograms, compared with the old model is half a kilogram lighter; the new bottle is installed with a restriction valve, able to limit the amount of air leakage per minute; the value of each bottle is about 2,900 Hong Kong dollars.