Hong Kong Firefighters Get HK$8.4 Million Tracking Upgrade After Deadly Tai Po Blaze
SCMP · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Some 2,000 Hong Kong firefighters have been issued upgraded tracking devices after an independent inquiry into last year's deadly Tai Po fire exposed technical limitations in the previous system, the South China Morning Post has learned. The Fire Services Department spent HK$8.4 million (US$1.1 million) on the new Firefighter Tracking Devices (FTDs), which cost more than HK$4,000 each, to help find personnel in distress more effectively. The November 1 roll-out came about a year after the Wang Fuk Court blaze, in which firefighter Ho Wai-ho lost contact with his comrades before becoming one of the 168 people killed.
Key Points
- About 2,000 firefighters received new FTDs costing over HK$4,000 each, with total spending of HK$8.4 million
- The devices rolled out on November 1, approximately one year after the Wang Fuk Court blaze at Tai Po
- The FTDs are two-in-one transmitters and receivers attached to breathing apparatus, manufactured in mainland China
- The devices trigger if a firefighter stays motionless for 45 seconds or manually activates the alarm, emitting audible signals within a 500-metre radius
- New FTDs feature a screen providing directional guidance and showing horizontal and vertical distances to distressed personnel
Why It Matters
The upgrade directly addresses deficiencies identified in the Firefighter Location System (FLS), which was limited to vertical signal transmission of just 23 floors and could shrink further depending on building layouts. With the ability to handle multiple simultaneous distress signals and provide precise location data, the new devices represent a significant improvement in firefighter safety protocols following the deadliest fire in Hong Kong history .
The upgrade directly addresses deficiencies identified in the Firefighter Location System (FLS), which was limited to vertical signal transmission of just 23 floors and could shrink further depending on building layouts. With the ability to handle multiple simultaneous distress signals and provide precise location data, the new devices represent a significant improvement in firefighter safety protocols following the deadliest fire in Hong Kong history .