The Fire Services Department (FSD) reported a 4.9 percent drop in fire calls last year and unveiled a series of targeted safety measures following the deadly Wang Fuk Court blaze in Tai Po.
Speaking at the department’s year-end review for 2025, Director of Fire Services Andy Yeung Yan-kin said FSD handled 35,972 fire calls in 2025, down from 2024, largely due to a reduction in false alarms.
The department also responded to 42,485 special service calls, representing an 8 percent increase year-on-year. These included more than 800 incidents linked to Super Typhoon Ragasa.
In the wake of the Wang Fuk Court fire, Yeung said FSD has stepped up oversight by establishing a dedicated inspection team to conduct checks on fire service installations in buildings undergoing major maintenance.
A round-the-clock quick response team has also been formed to inspect fire service installations at fire scenes and ensure responsible parties take immediate remedial action if systems are found to be ineffective.
The department has further enhanced alerts for malfunctioning fire devices and strengthened public education and training initiatives.
On regulatory work, FSD has introduced video inspections for applications for Temporary Places of Public Entertainment Licenses. The move has reduced inspection time from 14 days to one day per case.
Since the pilot scheme was launched last August, 563 cases have been processed. The department plans to fully implement the mechanism in the first quarter of this year.
In terms of ambulance services, FSD recorded 778,191 emergency calls last year, with 95.9 percent responded to within the target response time of 12 minutes.
The department also expanded the coverage of automated external defibrillators, adding more than 700 devices to bring the total number available for public use to 4,038.
Technological upgrades were rolled out as well. FSD introduced drones equipped with automated docking systems and higher payload capacity, and launched an Ambulance Data Dashboard to enhance smart resource allocation during emergencies.
To support development projects, the FSD Steering Committee on the Development of the Northern Metropolis was established to expedite the vetting process for infrastructure proposals in the region.
Looking ahead, Yeung outlined several key initiatives, including efforts to become an internationally accredited medium urban search and rescue team. The department will also introduce a new license application progress tracking feature in its mobile app and continue evaluating the effectiveness of the Pilot Scheme on the Internet of Things Fire Detection System.
