Firefighters home in on prevention

Kelly Kong

The Fire Services Department will be conducting a home safety visit pilot program for the elderly in Shun On Estate, Kwun Tong.

The program, which started in April, will see officers visit 144 households in the 46-year-old public housing estate over the course of a year. It comes in response to a recent spate of home fires.

Firefighters and social workers from partner organizations will inspect common areas and educate the elderly on fire safety.

They will assess fire hazards, provide safety information, and distribute the "Three Treasures of Fire Protection" - a fire blanket, extinguisher, and standalone fire detector.

"The main fire hazard is the elderly using universal plugs and electric extension strips, which can lead to unstable voltages and potential fires," said assistant divisional officer Yim Ying-kit.

Yim said the department has partnered up with a Shun On elderly community center operated by Christian Family Service Centre and a service unit under Hong Kong Christian Service named Shun Lee OPlus in Shun Lee Estate.

Each home visit, which will last 30 minutes, will see two firefighters and a social worker talk to the elderly about their fire safety habits and knowledge to help them evaluate and remove home hazards, provide information, and give them a home fire knowledge questionnaire.

Visits have been made to 36 households, all of which have had standalone fire detectors installed.

Two elderly residents, Ho and Wong, expressed gratitude, saying they've learned valuable skills like how to properly use a fire blanket in the kitchen.

Ho said she learned how to use a fire blanket at a district service center and that the fire blanket she had been give will be useful in case of kitchen emergencies.

Wong said the scheme is useful for the elderly as the fire officers have taught her a lot, such as what to do when there is a fire and how to use a fire blanket.