New civil protection center starts operation

Located inside Taipa’s Immigration Department Office building, the region’s new Civil Protection Operational Center officially began operations yesterday.

An opening ceremony was held at the new center yesterday morning. Ma Ion Kun, commissioner-general of the Unitary Police Service (SPU), said that “the new Civil Protection Operational Centre, regardless of space and facilities, can respond to the needs of the current civil protection.”

Ma noted that, once the new civil protection system starts, the new center will have enough space to accommodate workers from 27 governmental departments.

Command systems and equipment are said to be relatively more advanced than the ones at the old center, and the new facilities “obviously improves” civil protection operations.

The Public Security Police Force (PSP), the Customs Service, and the Fire Services Bureau  will co-conduct, on a daily basis, 24-hour basic operations at the center. Each of the three departments will send a member of its staff for the daily operation. The one representing PSP will be assigned as the team leader.

According to Ma, normally, PSP’s 999 emergency team is responsible for overseeing civil protection works. From yesterday, civil protection works can be initiated straight from the center without having to be forwarded by the PSP.

The new center is located on the third floor of the Taipa immigration department office. It occupies an area of 826 square meters, which is seven times bigger than the old center. There is a spare space at the center preserved for the garrison, in case of serious situations.

When the typhoon signal number eight is raised the Macau Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau will inform the center 90 minutes in advance, allowing it to be prepared for civil protection procedures.

According to the authority’s introductory speeches, the completion of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-
Macau Bridge and the Taishan nuclear power plant, among others, will force Macau to face new, unexpected challenges.

The old center will merge with SPU tomorrow to become a new department within SPU. One assistant will be added to the SPU force for the new operation.

Following the official opening, the center will immediately hold a drill exercise to test the center’s operational capability.

The drill will stage a car accident taking place inside the Sai Vun bridge tunnels, with three vehicles involved in the crash, six people injured and one in a critical situation.

Wong believes mainland can ensure nuclear safety

T

he Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak, speaking to the media on the sidelines of the opening ceremony, said that Macau delivered an agreement draft to Guangdong regarding nuclear safety cooperation works amid the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant controversy.

Wong said that when the final paperwork is decided and after Guangdong delivers the document to the Central Government for record, Macau and Guangdong will sign the agreement.

Wong also mentioned that Macau hopes the agreement can be signed soon.

The Secretary claims that, until now, no safety reports have been made regarding the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant.

He said that the mainland nuclear management authority will operate the plant in safety mode, adding that the public should believe that the mainland has the ability to ensure the society’s safety.

SPU head Ma Ion Kun visited Taishan last week and had a meeting with Guagndong’s emergency offices regarding the aforementioned agreement draft.