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Public Order
ambulance to the scene. Such information includes simple first-aid and time-saving advice to help patients receive prompt medical help.
The department trains front-line firefighters to become first responders to provide basic life- saving support to casualties and patients while ambulance crews are on their way to the scene. In 2016, first responders were on hand in 41,863 cases.
Communications
The 24-hour Fire Services Communications Centre, equipped with a Third Generation Mobilising System, is responsible for mobilising all firefighting and ambulance resources to provide timely fire and ambulance services to the community. The centre also receives complaints about fire hazards and dangerous goods, and acts as an emergency coordinator for other government departments and public utilities during major emergencies.
The department uses a Digital Trunked Radio System to ensure effective and efficient radio communication at scenes of incidents.
Fire Safety
The Fire Safety Command and the Licensing and Certification Command formulate fire safety policies and promote fire protection.
The Fire Safety Command draws up fire safety policies and formulates fire safety measures for buildings and mass transit systems. It devotes much effort to upgrading fire safety in old buildings, vetting loan applications for fire safety improvement works and raising public awareness of fire safety.
The command's two Building Improvement Divisions enforce the requirements for upgrading the fire safety measures of commercial premises and other commercial, composite and domestic buildings which fall within the purview of the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance and Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance, and investigate reports of fire hazards in buildings.
A Building Fire Safety Envoy Scheme trains owners or occupiers of buildings and staff of property management companies as envoys to promote fire safety in buildings. As at end-2016, 7,159 envoys had been trained.
The New Projects Division works with the Buildings Department and other departments to vet new and amended building plans, including those for tunnels, bridges and the airport. It also defines the requisite fire protection provisions of various kinds of premises. In 2016, the division vetted 15,011 building plans.
The Railway Development Strategy Division scrutinises the railway infrastructure's fire safety requirements and the associated technical drawings of fire service installations (FSI). It handled more than 2,000 submissions in 2016. The division also carries out acceptance inspections of FSI at new railway projects, including the South Island Line (East) and Kwun Tong Line Extension in 2016, and of alteration, addition and improvement works for the existing lines.
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