ENG-2011 — Page 392

340 | Public Order

equipped with automated defibrillators and selected drugs for illness such as diabetes, shock, heart attack, shortness of breath and drug overdose.

Since May 2011, the department has been providing simple Post Dispatch Advice (PDA) to callers of three easily identified injuries, namely bleeding, bone fractures/dislocation to limbs and burns after dispatching the ambulance to the scene. The PDA includes simple first-aid and time-saving advice to facilitate the provision of prompt medical assistance to the patients.

The department continues to train front-line firemen to become first responders to provide basic life-saving support to casualties and patients while ambulance crews are on their way to the scene. During the year, first responders dealt with 44 221

cases.

Communications

The Fire Services Communications Centre, manned round-the-clock, is responsible for mobilising all fire-fighting and ambulance resources to provide timely fire and ambulance services to the community. The centre is also responsible for receiving complaints about fire hazards and dangerous goods. It acts as emergency co-ordinator for other government departments and public utilities during large-scale emergencies or major calamities.

The centre is equipped with the Third Generation Mobilising System to enhance the efficiency of mobilising fire and ambulance resources.

To achieve and maintain effective and efficient radio communication at scenes of incidents, the department introduced the new Digital Trunked Radio System in July 2011 and operated it in parallel with the Analogue Trunked Radio System for a thorough testing of the new system. The new system will commence in full operation in February 2012 and the old system will be decommissioned by then.

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 Command's two Building Improvement Divisions are responsible for enforcing the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance and the Fire Safety (Buildings) Ordinance and to investigate reports of fire risks in buildings. A Special Enforcement Unit conducts proactive inspections of old buildings and takes enforcement actions against irregularities.

To enhance public awareness of the importance of fire safety in buildings, a Building Fire Safety Envoy Scheme has been launched to train owners or occupiers of buildings and staff of property management companies to become envoys to help promote fire safety in buildings. At the end of 2011, a total of 1 626 envoys were trained.