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"This form of transfer, in fact, allowed the patients to be delivered to PWH as quickly as any alternative," she said.
As for equipment on ambulances, Mrs Yau said that all ambulances had radio telephones to communicate with FSCC.
"For on-site communication, the incident commander, the incident ambulance officer and the officers leading working crews have hand-held radios to communicate with each other and with the Incident Command Post," she said.
"All ambulances have, as standard equipment, cling film and burn sheets to treat burns. They also have analgesic apparatus to reduce pain.
"The ambulancemen's objective is to cover burns, to reduce the risk of infection and to prevent fluid loss in the time before patients reach hospital."
Mrs Yau said that the authorities would study the recommendations in the Pat Sin Leng hill fire report before deciding what improvements might be necessary.
Turning to the Hospital Authority's coordinating role, Mrs Yau said that the Hospital Authority Head Office (HAHO) was responsible for liaison to ensure that adequate medical resources were provided.
"On this occasion, the Hospital Authority implemented its contingency plans when the FSCC notified it of the need to treat the casualties.
"An emergency medical team was despatched immediately to the scene and supporting staff were mobilised in PWH to prepare for admission of the burn patients," she said.
To ensure speedy and effective treatment of these patients, Mrs Yau said that HAHO also coordinated efforts to support the hospital by making contingency arrangements to transfer patients to other hospitals if necessary, and providing emergency funding for additional supplies of medical consumables and equipment.
She said that there was a sufficient supply of skin in the public hospital system to cater for the short-term skin graft requirements of all the burn patients admitted to PWH.
"Transplant coordinators facilitated access to the skin banks. The public appeal for skin donations was made in anticipation of the long-term requirements for the management of the burn patients," she added.
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