They bring hope and help save lives. But if you ask ambulance staff, they'll tell you it's just part of a day's work.
'I wanted to find a job that allows me to help people,' says Fong Wing-yiu, an ambulanceman who joined the Fire Services Department four years ago. 'Believing that we are there to save people helps me overcome the difficulties.'
The department received an average of 1,800 calls a day and conveyed about 600,000 patients, or casualties, to hospitals last year.
Ambulancemen are usually deployed to carry out pre-hospital care and related duties, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and treating wounds.
Applicants need to pass five subjects in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, including Chinese and English, or equivalent. They should also be fluent in Cantonese, physically fit and pass a performance test.
'Applications for all positions in the department have reached a high point this year,' says Wong Chun-ip, assistant divisional officer 1 for recruitment, training and examination.
'What we look for in candidates is more than their academic background and physical fitness. During the panel interview, those who are able to display a high level of confidence, passion, independence and understanding of the job usually stand out from the rest.'