Editorial | HKSOS app helps but hikers must take care
- The app for hikers released by the police has already proved its worth. But there is only so much help it can provide when mishaps occur
Criss-crossed with scenic trails of different lengths and levels of difficulties, Hong Kong’s countryside is a magnet for serious and leisure hikers from local and afar. But the popular and accessible activity comes with a certain degree of risk, especially for the novice and unprepared. The growing number of injuries and fatalities related to hiking underlines the need to strengthen education and support.
The Post commended the police when they sought to reinforce rescue efforts with technology last summer. It seems that the move has borne some fruit. In a ceremony marking the official launch of the HKSOS mobile phone app, the police recorded 4,000 downloads in two weeks since it was made available.
The app also helped at least one rescue mission so far, which involved a 32-year-old man who felt sick while hiking in Sai Kung this month. Despite a discrepancy between the location he described and his actual whereabouts, rescue personnel were able to accurately pinpoint his location and saved him in two hours with the help of the app’s tracking feature.
The incident shows how the use of phone apps can be used to enhance rescue operations. Linked to the 999 emergency hotline command and control centre, the app allows users to enter details of themselves and their hikes before setting off. The use of the Signal Radar patented technology enables rescuers to detect the location from a remote distance regardless of whether it has signal reception.
There is a need to step up safety awareness as the coronavirus pandemic has made hiking more popular. Records show search and rescues involving country parks had risen steadily over the past five years. The number of related injuries and deaths called for better public education. While most hikers do not have any safety issues, many mishaps could have been avoided had there been better safety precautions and awareness. Some hikers may underestimate the challenge when they try to emulate hiking feats they have seen on social media or take needless risks to get selfies. Others are simply unwise to hike during hot and wet weather. There is only so much help the HKSOS app can provide when mishaps occur. The onus is on one to hike safe and smart.