- 3-
"Drawing from the experience of this incident, the team considered that something could be done to raise public awareness of safety during the conduct of hiking activities and to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of emergency responses," the spokesman said.
A total of 29 recommendations were made in the report, covering seven departments involved in the fire fighting and rescue operation.
"All the departments are beginning to take steps to implement these recommendations and we are confident that the majority of them would be implemented within the next few months," he said.
The more significant recommendations include updating safety guidelines for schools' extra-curricular activities; wider publicity on fire safety in the countryside; provisions of communication means for hikers and school parties on excursion; and more training on hiking safety and outings for hikers and teachers.
For casualty evacuation by helicopters, it is recommended that the Government Flying Service should review the deployment of resources during major emergencies and to acquire additional equipment.
Training for basic mountain rescue techniques should be provided for fire fighters by the Civil Aid Services, according to the report.
For prolonged incidents involving multiple casualties, the report recommends that the Auxiliary Medical Services should also deploy its Emergency Response Task Force to the scene to reinforce the Hospital Authority's Mobile Medical Team and to perform instant triage.
An action checklist has been produced of measures to implement the recommendations. The Security Branch will monitor the follow up actions to ensure that all the recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible.
"Actions to implement all these recommendations have already begun," said the spokesman.
"Of the 29 recommendations, nine have been completed or fully integrated into ongoing programmes. We expect action on 28 of the 29 recommendations to be completed within the coming six months."
End