HKSAR Government to join Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint emergency response and rescue exercise in Jiangmen (with photos)

     Personnel of the Security Bureau (SB) and the Fire Services Department's Disaster Response and Rescue Team today (May 27) departed for Jiangmen special service fire station to conduct a 48-hour Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao joint emergency response and rescue exercise.
 
     The exercise is being conducted to prepare for the implementation of the emergency mobilisation and co-ordination mechanism under the Greater Bay Area Emergency Response and Rescue Operational Plan. The Operational Plan aims at strengthening the emergency response and rescue capabilities of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao to cope with contingencies such as disasters and natural hazards affecting the three places, enhancing the overall standard in emergency response management in the three places and achieving effective utilisation and sharing of resources of emergency response and rescue. Generally speaking, the targeted co-operation outcomes of the Operational Plan can be consolidated into a technical and knowledge exchange mechanism, a resource-sharing mechanism, and an emergency mobilisation and co-ordination mechanism. The exercise will test the cross-boundary green channel (facilitating the smooth flow of personnel, equipment and supplies at the boundary control points during an emergency response operation) and the activation mechanism and joint emergency command mechanism of the Operational Plan.
 
     In preparation for the cross-boundary exercise, the SB, relevant authorities under the Central Government and units of the Guangdong Provincial Government have been maintaining close communication and liaison. This is not only the first time the fire rescue units of the three places participated in a joint exercise on the Mainland, but also the first time fire appliances from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were deployed to take part in the exercise. This demonstrates a high degree of integration among the fire rescue units of the three places, laying a solid foundation for future implementation of the green channel under the Operational Plan.
 
     The governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao are currently formulating the Operational Plan, and are expected to sign the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Emergency Management Co-operation and Greater Bay Area Emergency Response Operation Co-operation Framework Agreement in Hong Kong in mid-June this year. Under the Framework Agreement, personnel from the three places can complement each other's strengths to facilitate the enhancement of emergency response management in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and strengthen the emergency response and rescue capabilities of the three places, injecting impetus into the development of emergency response management and rescue work in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, and developing the Greater Bay Area into a quality living circle ideal for living, working and travelling.