The Joint Civil Protection Operations Centre held a typhoon drill on Saturday – codenamed “Crystal Fish 2021” – to test the operation capacity of the Civil Protection system ahead of the typhoon season.
After the drill, the Secretary for Security and Commander of Joint Civil Protection Operations, Wong Sio Chak, noted five aspects to be improved in the operation of the security forces. He also noted changes to operations to be made by other governmental and non-governmental entities that comprise the Civil Protection structure.
In his remarks, Wong noted that members of the civil protection structure should act quickly and be able to promptly activate the Civil Protection Operations Center (COPC), noting that a real emergency requires an immediate response.
Another aspect that Wong wants to see improved is the capacity to observe and respond to online rumors, saying that immediate clarification will avoid unnecessary panic.
The Secretary also noted that, according to the newly entered into force Civil Protection Legal Regime, members must pay attention to entry and closure of the alert level regulated by orders of the Chief Executive, in order to ensure that actions are always taken according to the laws.
Wong also wants members of the Civil Protection team to upload relevant information faster and more accurately, enabling other members to be more effective and oriented in command and decision-making.
Finally, the Secretary sees room for improvement in the inspection and evacuation procedures for low-lying areas. Wong noted that each department in charge of these tasks needs to continue to be proficient in improving skills and procedures so that, during a real emergency, the application of the measures can be more efficient. He highlighted in a briefing to the media the effectiveness of the “Crystal Fish 2021” typhoon drill.
The drill started at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, lasted for about four and a half hours and simulated around 60 types of incidents likely to occur during a super typhoon in conjunction with an extremely high tide. This event would raise the water levels about 2.5 meters over the road surface in the low-lying areas of the city.
Around 2,700 people participated in the drill, including participants from 17 non-governmental organizations and 420 volunteers.
In the drill, the Civil Protection centre also simulated the evacuation of a total of 2061 households.
The drill, which has become an annual event, aims to review the effectiveness of implementing current emergency plans in various departments. It also seeks to strengthen the communication, coordination, and connection among different parts of the civil protection structure, and to increase public awareness and knowledge regarding the evacuation methods and routes.
Concurrently, the drill also tested capacity to respond to several kinds of emergencies, including: a traffic accident with a dangerous products truck; refusal from residents in low-lying areas to evacuate from their homes; a rescue in narrow streets; a fire in a ship; a traffic accident in the tunnel of the Sai Van Bridge; and an emergency water supply dispatch. It also evaluated responsiveness to emergencies related to objects falling from buildings, among others that are common during severe typhoons.
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