ENG-2009 — Page 399

Public Order | 327

Fire Safety

The Fire Safety Command draws up fire safety policies and formulates fire safety measures for buildings and mass transit systems. It also devotes much of its efforts to upgrading arrangements and procedures to protect old buildings from fire and to raise people's awareness of fire safety.

The two Building Improvement Divisions, established in 2009 following a restructuring of the former Commercial Buildings and Premises Division and the former Building Improvement and Support Division, are responsible for enforcing the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance and the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance to upgrade the fire safety practices of prescribed commercial premises, specified commercial buildings, pre-1987 domestic buildings, and for investigating building fire safety complaints.

To further enhance fire safety in old composite buildings, a Special Enforcement Unit was set up to conduct inspections of old buildings and take enforcement actions against irregularities. In 2009, a total of 180 buildings were inspected, 798 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices (FHANs) were issued and 11 prosecutions were instituted.

To enhance public awareness of the importance of fire safety in buildings, a Building Fire Safety Envoy Scheme was launched to train owners and occupiers of buildings and staff of property management companies to become fire safety envoys to help promote fire safety in buildings. A total of 231 people joined the scheme during the year.

A Building Safety Loan Scheme, administered by the Director of Buildings, was established to provide financial assistance to owners to carry out building safety and fire safety improvement works. A total of 5 046 applications for such aid have been approved.

The New Project Division, in co-operation with the Buildings Department and other departments, is responsible for vetting new and amended building plans including those for mass transit systems, tunnels, bridges and the airport. It also defines the fire protection needs of particular premises. In 2009, the division vetted 12 797 building plans.

The Railway Development Strategy Division scrutinises the fire safety requirements of new railway infrastructure projects. It carried out a thorough inspection of the Austin Station and the tunnel between East Tsim Sha Tsui Station and Nam Cheong Station of the Kowloon Southern Link project before giving it the go-ahead in 2009.

The Support Division is responsible for formulating, reviewing and updating departmental policies on improving fire safety in buildings and makes every effort to reinforce public understanding of the need for fire safety. The division took the lead in organising the 2009 Fire Prevention Campaign by featuring the campaign in a television variety show, seen by 1.3 million people.