Officers from Marine South Division (MSDIV) took part in a multi-departmental fire-fighting exercise conducted in the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter on January 21. During the exercise, Fire Services Department (FSD) and Marine Department vessels, as well as Police Launch (PL) 46 from MSDIV were deployed for a simulated response to a vessel on fire. 

 

The close proximity of hundreds of vessels moored together, especially with many returning to the shelter for the Lunar New Year, posed the risk of small fires spreading among the vessels.

 

The scenario called for MSDIV to support land based FSD officers, in this case from the Aberdeen Fire Station, to proceed to the scene to support Fire Boat 4 and other FSD rescue craft by fighting the fire directly from one of the smaller police craft, which was capable of moving within the narrow confines of the shelter. The day before, a similar multi-departmental fire fighting exercise involving PL 10 from Marine Harbour Division was also successfully conducted in the Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter. 

 

MSDIV Assistant Divisional Commander (Operations), Chief Inspector Clive Walton, said the two exercises were continuation of ongoing efforts by Marine Port District to enhance inter-departmental co-operation and Marine Police response to maritime based emergency situations with the aim of enhancing preparedness for contingencies.