Fire Services widens typhoon shelter passage for major fireboats

The Fire Services Department (FSD) and Marine Department (MD) have adjusted the passage areas of five typhoon shelters for more effective firefighting with large fireboats.

New fairways have been added or expanded for the five shelters this January and June, including Tuen Mun, Kwun Tong, Shau Kei Wan, Hei Ling Chau, and Aberdeen South.

Chan Yu-hoi, the assistant divisional officer of the marine and diving division under the FSD, stated that the largest fireboat, “Elite,” can now proceed to the center of the typhoon shelters and increase rescue efficiency.

The “Elite” has ten times the pumping capacity compared to a medium-sized fireboat, allowing full coverage of all vessels harboring in the shelters.

He added that staff would inspect the channel daily and ensure no vessel blockage happens. The Marine Department will cooperate with the department to remove and prosecute any local vessels violating the typhoon shelter regulation.

According to FSD, 42 fish boats and pleasure vessels parked in the shelters have been installed with a total of 100 stand-alone fire detectors.

FSD added that no reported fire cases in typhoon shelters were received in the first half of this year, which showed an improvement in vessel owners’ fire safety awareness.