SPCs save woman in chilly weather
The cold spell warning was on and the sea was dark, but nothing has prevented officers of Marine North Division Inshore Patrol Group Team Two from saving a woman trying to commit suicide off Ma On Shan.
Senior Police Constables Shek Ping-kuen and Albin Lam Tak-tin said they were very pleased to have saved the woman on January 25. "After all, it is our duty to do so," they told OffBeat.
At 10.30 pm that day, Mr Shek and Mr Lam were
performing the duties of launch engineering and radio
operator respectively aboard Police Launch 26 when Police Constable Ho Keung answered an emergency call that
someone was shouting for help off Ma On Shan. The launch immediately sped to the scene, and the officers, with the help of torches, quickly spotted a person floating in the sea.
Without any hesitation, Mr Shek and Mr Lam jumped into the sea to haul a woman abroad while Mr Ho promptly called for an ambulance.
Mr Shek said: "Jumping into the sea was just a natural response. I didn't have time to think about other things."
Mr Lam said: "The woman was unconscious. Hence, I applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while my colleague Shek carried out Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on her. Initial first aid worked amd the woman regained
consciousness eventually."
Though the pair was soaked to the skin after saving the woman, they continued conducting CPR on her on the way to Ma Liu Shui Base. It was not until she was in the care of ambulance staff that the duo could put their hearts at ease.
Mr Lam was also taken to hospital with cuts to his legs caused by sharp barnacles. He recalled: "At that time, I really thought that there was only a 50-50 chance of saving the woman as the sea temperature was low and her condition was far from satisfactory."
It is not the first time Mr Shek has taken the risk to save life during his 23 years of service in Marine Police. Only last month, he also leapt into action off Tai Po Kau to save a woman committing suicide. But unfortunately, she was
certified dead in hospital.
"Life is precious, and we should treasure it. Committing suicides cannot solve any problem!" he said, shaking his head.
The pair is happy to have saved a woman in chilly weather