District Fire Safety Committee (Central and Western District)

Welcome message from the Chairman of DFSC

The Central and Western District is one of Hong Kong’s most historic and diverse communities.  The district encompasses commercial core areas, residential buildings, old buildings, heritage sites, public facilities, and popular tourist attractions.  Given the wide variety of buildings and heavy pedestrian traffic, enhancing fire safety and fire prevention education is of utmost importance.  The Central and Western District Fire Safety Committee (the Committee) has consistently worked closely with the Fire Services Department (FSD) and relevant government departments to enhance residents’ fire prevention awareness, improve emergency response capabilities, and foster a strong safety culture, through a range of district-level activities, including publicity, community education, fire drills, themed talks, and public engagement programmes.  Our goal is to deepen community outreach so that residents, shop operators, property management professionals, and other stakeholders all play a part in building a safer living environment.

Since my undergraduate studies at the University of Hong Kong in the 1990s, I have studied, worked, and lived in the Central and Western District for more than 35 years, witnessing its ongoing transformation and renewal.  Some buildings in the district have also borne witness to the community’s development, with many being composite or “three-nil” buildings serving multiple community functions.  Many elderly residents have called these buildings home for decades, bound by a deep sense of affection for and belonging to the community.  In light of these factors, we have consistently promoted and supported various measures to improve fire safety in older buildings, focusing on fire safety equipment, escape route management, residents’ understanding of fire risks and their response capabilities.  We encourage residents to pay attention to home fire prevention, electrical safety, proper use of fire-fighting equipment, and maintenance of clear and unobstructed escape routes, thereby reducing fire risks in residential buildings.  In the past two years, as Vice-captain of a Care Team in the Central and Western District, I have found that residents, especially the elderly, are eager to improve building safety.  These valuable experiences have reinforced our commitment to collaborating with the community and provide residents with the information and support they need to eliminate safety hazards.

It is a great honour to serve as Chairman of the Committee and to work with all Committee members and district partners to promote fire safety.  During the next two years of my tenure, I aim to address fire safety hazards arising from aging buildings in the community in a timely manner.  We will also make good use of our resources to enhance residents’ fire prevention awareness by educating them on the use of temporary fire-fighting equipment and the planning of escape routes in the event of a fire.  Fire safety education must keep pace with societal development and technological advancements.  We support the adoption of more effective fire prevention publicity strategies, as well as the use of innovative technologies to improve fire detection and emergency response efficiency, with a view to ensuring that community fire safety efforts are more targeted and responsive to residents’ actual needs.

Guided by our commitment to community service, we will continue to work closely with the FSD and district partners, mobilising community resources to step up fire prevention publicity and education, with the aim of enhancing residents’ fire safety awareness and emergency response capabilities.  We also encourage greater attention to fire safety in older buildings, home fire prevention, and the management of escape routes, so as to build a safer Central and Western District.

Professor CHAN Ho-wah, Terence

Chairman of the District Fire Safety Committee (Central and Western District)