Force provides prompt response to major
incidents
Compared with other cities, Hong Kong has been spared of many major natural disasters or other calamities, but officers of the Force never flinch from their mission of protecting life and property. The officers have been professionally trained for the mission, and when disasters strike the Force will activate the response mechanism, coordinate with other parties and mount rescue and support operations immediately.
Responding to the Lamma Island vessel collision that took the lives of 39 people and injured nearly 100 survivors, the Force's professionalism and teamwork came into play. Officers were deployed immediately to save lives in coordination with other government departments and to take follow-up actions.
Marine Police race against time
Police Launch 43 from Marine South Division was the first party arriving at the scene of the collision after receiving a report. Finding the "Lamma 4" sub-merged and life jackets floating in the sea, officers sensed that it was no small collision. They immediately picked up five persons and tried to revive those rendered unconscious. From several survivors, the police learned that many people were being trapped inside the cabin. Sergeant (SGT) Yeung Chun then immediately asked for reinforcement and helicopters to send the survivors to hospital.
Major incidents response protocol activated
According to Operations Wing Chief Inspector Wong Siu-keung who was on duty at the Headquarters Command and Control Centre, it was recognised at the centre that a serious incident had happened and the major incidents response protocol was immediately activated. Some officers on duty for the National Day Fireworks Display were tasked with the job of dealing with the incident. They coordinated with Land Regions, Police Tactical Unit and related units and made arrangements for officers to head for the Marine South Division Base. They also liaised with five hospitals for assisting in rescue, recording casualties and managing crowds.
Hotline set up
A Casualties Enquiry Unit, manned by officers of the Complaints Against Police Office, came into operation on the night of the accident, receiving over 300 hotline enquiries from the public in a matter of several hours.
According to SGT Chan Yung, many enquirers, who were worried about the safety of their family members or friends, appeared hostile and were impatient with officers' questions. But the officers had to record details, such as name, age and contact numbers, etc., for their colleagues to identify victims or survivors. The officers appreciated the moods of the enquirers, listened with patience and went to great lengths to explain why they had to ask questions.
Identifying bodies & reducing trauma
Early the next morning, the 250-member Disaster Victims Identification Unit (DVIU), formed under the protocol, was mobilised to help victims' families identify bodies. Complying with the guidelines and standards set by the INTERPOL, the officers recorded meticulously all body features, including injuries, birth marks, tattoos, clothing and personal articles, and took photos of each item.
Inspector (IP) Chan Chung-yan said: "Colleagues handled the bodies very carefully, hoping they could take better pictures to help families make positive identification as fast as possible and assist with the subsequent investigation, she noted.
DVIU members also assisted with the procedures of post-mortem and body identification at Kwai Chung Public Mortuary. They provided body features and photos for families to make identification and tried their best to reduce the families' stress and trauma. For SGT Kong Siu-pong, each identification was "stressful and sorrowful", after which officers comforted the families before telling them the remaining procedures to take.
Heart-rending but job gets done
Officers found it heart-rending in face of the sea tragedy, but realised they had to get the job done. IP Chan pointed out that despite their mixed emotions, officers' professionalism came into play, helping them keep their composure and get the job done.
"In my 25 years of service, I've never come across over 30 bodies. Many families were heart broken; what officers could do was to hold back their tears while handling the body identification procedures," said SGT Kong.
Police constable Lai Chun-tung from Police Launch 43 said he was sad to see some people do not survive their ordeal despite first aid applied by officers.
PSG support
Within the two weeks following the tragedy, the Psychological Services Group (PSG) offered psychological support and talk on psychological relief to a total of 150 officers, including 60 from Marine South Division, and followed up cases with six individual units. PSG also offered talk on psychological adaptation to over 200 DVIU members.
Police Clinical Psychologist (PCP) Alison Mak pointed out that officers felt sorry for the victims and survivors' families, particularly when they came across the bodies of children. After their operations, some officers were still haunted by what they saw and came across during their operations and they might take some time to recover from their psychological impact.
Talks on psychological relief took place in groups, with PCPs helping officers ease their emotions and beef up ability to cope with stress. PSG also encouraged them to support each other and summarised what they had gained and learned from their roles in operations.
PSG also followed up cases with phone calls to ensure the officers would make a quick recovery. Right now, this effort has paid off and many officers have resumed normal duties.
The officers taking part in the rescue operation:
(from left) SGT Chan, SGT Yeung, PC Lai, IP Chan, SGT Kong and CIP Wong
DVIU members undergoing training
DVIU
members are well briefed before training starts
(From left) SGT Yeung, SPC Ng Wai-ming, SPC Ng
Kin-keung and PC Lai are the first party to arrive at the scene of the
vessel collision
Officers resume normal duties on Police Launch 43