The Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak, speaks to reporters.
The Secretary for Security, Mr Wong Sio Chak, said members of the public would be able to participate in a large-scale civil defence exercise to be held in April by the Government.
Speaking on Sunday (10 March) on the sidelines of a community event held by the city’s police services, the Secretary said the exercise was partly to test further the integrated command system for the management of public emergencies. The aim was to optimise the efficiency of the city’s overall capability in responding to any such actual emergencies.
The April exercise would involve not only personnel from the city’s civil protection system but also members of community associations, Mr Wong told reporters. Members of the public that wish to participate in the exercise will have to register with the competent authorities, he added.
The Secretary also gave an update on the planning regarding the setting up of a radio broadcasting service for public emergencies. It was anticipated that a second phase of construction regarding redevelopment of the Civil Protection Action Centre would be completed by September. A portion of the space at the Centre had been reserved for running the radio service.
Setting up the radio service required a number of steps, including allocating staff for it, providing the relevant equipment, and creating a mechanism for its working procedures and operations. Mr Wong said the police were striving to finalise within the current year the preliminary planning phase. Such a radio service would not be ready for operation prior to the anticipated start of typhoon season this year, he added.