Hong Kong Firefighters
The Fire Services Department’s 577 vehicles were dispatched in response to more than 37,000 calls in 2012 alone. Whether it’s smoke billowing out of a microwave or an entire high-rise condo set ablaze, the 9,000-plus uniformed officers do heroic work every day to keep their fellow citizens safe. In response to our request to learn a bit more about the profession, 25-year veteran Chao Koon-ho (nickname: Rambo) from the Tin Sum Fire Station was happy to sit down and give us a glimpse into his world.
The Bell Rings
“The government promises a response time of six minutes. The operator already takes up one minute before we even hear the bell, which leaves us with five to arrive at the scene. We need to start moving as soon as possible. Even when we are in the loo, we have to stop whatever business we are doing and get going. There isn’t any trick—just get on your feet and run.”
On the Scene
“At a reported fire scene, the standard procedure is to dispatch four fire trucks and one ambulance, no matter how minor the case is. A more serious case would call for a “major rescue unit,” which is a fire truck equipped with more rescue tools than a “light rescue unit.” The other three fire trucks include a “major bump,” which connects to street hydrants, a “hydraulic platform,” which acts as the command center and comes with an elevated platform for firefighting and rescue operations, and a “ladder” truck, with a 52-meter-long ladder that extends up to the 18th floor.”
Approaching a Fire
“We always need to ‘interpret’ the call and never take the reported address and details at face value. The caller is under stress and he or she can make mistakes, but we can’t afford any mistakes because it’s much harder to put out a fire once it spreads. When we’re unsure of the fire source, our training requires us to be extra cautious so as to minimize property damage to homeowners. We don’t break into homes just because neighbors or security staff report a fire; we have to confirm where the smoke is coming from by sending firefighters one floor below and one floor above the reported apartment.“
It’s Not A Movie
“In TV shows and movies, the breaking-in looks very dramatic—a loud bang, firefighters rush in, and water is sprayed everywhere. In real life, we never stand in front of the door, but by the walls beside it. We always destroy the locks slowly, inch by inch. That’s because if there’s a fire inside, and we break open the door suddenly, a large amount of oxygen would rush in, sending the fire in our direction. Instead, we use a fire source detection device that identifies the spot with the highest temperature and then we concentrate the water there. Sometimes there’s just a small pot on the stove or the television... no need to waste water and flood someone’s home for that.”
Steeling Yourself
“When we’re at a scene, we are trained to keep our feelings at bay. To be honest, after a while I don’t feel as much for the victims. You learn to become professional. After 25 years, I can tell you that I don’t feel much sympathy for adult victims because I’m so focused on carrying out my work. But when it comes to children, it’s a completely different story. I’m a father now, and when I see kids in a fire scene, I can’t help but feel protective. I would always save the kid first between a child and an adult.”
The Dark Side
“In this job, you see things that stay with you. There’s this one time that I witnessed the evil in humanity. It was my third year in the service in 1990, and a fire was reported at the Vietnamese refugee center in Shek Kong. The northern Vietnamese had locked all the southern Vietnamese in a room and set them on fire. We were standing right outside, but we couldn’t get in because the northern Vietnamese were still rioting. We could do nothing but watch the fire burning the people inside. When the police took control of the scene, there were only burnt bodies in the room. I realized then that humans can be very ugly.”