Secretary for Security Chris Tang explains 999 call situation during Tai Po fire

已複製連結

A recent hearing on the Wang Fuk Court fire revealed that on the day of the tragedy, some residents called 999 to report the incident, but the police did not transfer the call to the fire department, and the residents seeking help ultimately could not be rescued. 

Secretary for Security Chris Tang admitted at a special Legislative Council special Finance Committee meeting that the 999 call centre was overloaded that day and that the system would be upgraded in the future, increasing the number of fire telephone lines from 30 to over 100.

Tang said: “In the event of a report about a fire, our 999 police officers will immediately call and initiate a conference call, meaning the caller, police, and fire services department staff will all hear the information simultaneously.

In the Tai Po fire’s case, the situation is that when a police officer answers the phone, because the police have many phone lines but the fire services department doesn't yet have any available, the police officer has to ask for information and reassure the caller. 

Since this process takes up to a minute, so after the FSD staff takes the call, it's as if the entire information delivery process is repeated.

The fourth-generation command system is expected to be completed by early next year, after which it will enhance the FSD's 999 call handling capabilities to over 100 lines.

The police currently rely on faxing information to the FSD, which we consider unsatisfactory. Therefore, within a short period, one to two months, an electronic method will be available to transfer relevant police information to the FSD.