EU HKI constantly strives to get better equipped
The Emergency Unit of Hong Kong Island (EU HKI) always looks for ways to better equip itself for its job. In an effort to boost the professionalism and efficiency of its officers, EU HKI has devised a series of extensive training programmes. Besides operational and tactical training, EU HKI also has placed emphasis on training in saving lives.
EU HKI was the pioneer to introduce the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for EU cars late last year, with a view to providing prompt first aid assistance to the public and people with heart mal-functioning. It has invited Fire Services Department to provide professional training to officers so that they would master the skills of operating AED and understand its safety codes.
Currently, all EU HKI cars on duty have officers who are qualified to operate AED. Early in the morning of April 21, EU HKI officers were on duty in Central when they learned from beat radio that a man had collapsed probably due to a heart attack, and that officers from Central District were giving him cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. As ambulance was held up by traffic congestion, EU HKI officers rushed to the scene and kept the man in a stable condition with the AED until the ambulance arrived.
Geographically, Hong Kong Island has a fair share of cases of people falling into the sea. Therefore, it is essential for EU officers to acquire the skills to save lives in the shortest possible time, and EU HKI has provided training in life-saving skills for the third consecutive year.
In the past two years, all EU officers had received such training. Last year, six officers had successfully applied the skills in saving lives at sea and received commendations from the Director of Marine.
Even the most sophisticated equipment requires well-trained officers to bring its functions into full play. As members of a frontline unit, EU HKI officers receive various types of training on a regular basis in order to save lives and rise to challenges.
Emergency Unit Hong Kong
Island officers brush up their life-saving skills