Crucial training that saves lives

February 5, 2023

Essential tools:

The Mountain Search & Rescue Company’s regular training includes practising with different tools and focusing on repetition to prepare the team for real-world situations.

Hands-on experience:

The personnel undergo intensive hands-on training to ensure they can successfully handle highly stressful and life-threatening emergencies.

High-ceilinged:

The passageway and height of the High-Angle Rescue Training Centre’s second floor is convenient for training with ropes and tools.

Simulation manhole:

Given that vertical and confined spaces limit the choice of rescue methods and tools, the facility’s simulation manhole allows the team to gain practical experience via training.

Mountain rescues:

Civil Aid Service Operations & Training Officer (Cadet) Tsang Chi-wing explains that most of the emergency duties involve protecting hikers by escorting them from steep mountains to safe places. As such, their training mainly focuses on descending from height slowly with the use of ropes and other equipment.

Optimising space:

Given the training centre was originally a workshop that sat idle, Civil Aid Service Operations & Training Officer (Tactical Force) Charles Lau says the service struggled with utilisation inside the steel structure’s limited space. Adhering to safety guidelines concerning load capacity standards was a must.

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Civil Aid Service Operations and Training Officer (Cadet) Tsang Chi-wing:

The Civil Aid Service is offering three major aspects of rescue training. The first one is basic training, the second one is advanced training and the third one is mountain search and rescue training.

For mountain search and rescue training, it is for the members of the Mountain Search & Rescue Company, which we also call them MSaR, who are dressed in a red uniform, like me. 

The training includes the use of a complex system and techniques of ropes and stretchers on mountains. That is why the MSaR members are the most frequent users of this training centre.

In general, MSaR members will have their training about three to four times a month on advanced techniques and reviewing their knowledge.

Voiceover:

So on this particular day, the Mountain Search & Rescue Company of the Civil Aid Service is having their regular training in the High-Angle Rescue Training Centre that was inaugurated in May last year.

Civil Aid Service Operations and Training Officer (Tactical Force) Charles Lau:

The High-Angle Rescue Training Centre serves as a specialised site for different units of the Civil Aid Service (CAS) to conduct training, including high-angle rescue, rescue from heights and in confined spaces. Different units of the CAS can apply to use this training centre.

Voiceover:

Located inside the Civil Aid Service Headquarters in Yau Ma Tei, the two-storey training centre was originally a workshop. As it ceased operation gradually, the staff decided to make better use of the space they have. 

With the help of the Architectural Services Department, the service finally has a place to spare its members from bad weather conditions during training. Still, having limited space has halted plans for refurbishment.

Civil Aid Service Operations and Training Officer (Tactical Force) Charles Lau:

The main concern, you can say, is the steel structure. It is related to the calculation of the load capacity of the structure. Because we have to consider the maximum number of persons that can stay in the training area here.

Voiceover:

After some back-and-forth discussion, the centre has the maximum possible ceiling height for better abseiling training with different tools.

Civil Aid Service Operations and Training Officer (Cadet) Tsang Chi-wing:

On a few rescue operation occasions, while I was on duty at the Government Flying Service, it involved protecting some hikers by escorting them from steep mountains to safe places beneath our feet.

We had to descend from height slowly with ropes and other equipment. So the passageway and height of the second floor of the training centre indeed heightened our understanding of what equipment and techniques can enhance our operational efficiency.

Voiceover:

Besides taking height into consideration, rescue operations occasionally involve dealing with narrow spaces. The training centre has a special facility for that - a simulation manhole.

Civil Aid Service Operations and Training Officer (Cadet) Tsang Chi-wing:

This manhole enables us to try to simulate rescues with other specific equipment in the vertical and confined spaces, which really allows us to accumulate more practical experiences throughout the training.

Voiceover:

Hong Kong permanent residents aged 18 or older are eligible to apply for the Civil Aid Service membership.

Newly recruited members must go through 160 hours of training and pass all tests to obtain the Certificate in Auxiliary Forces Basic Training Programme (Civil Defence). The programme has been recognised under the Qualifications Framework as meeting accreditation standards at Level 3 and those who successfully complete it can become official members of the service.

Official members can then apply to join the Mountain Search & Rescue Company and proudly wear its red uniform once they fulfil the relevant requirements.

Uniquely trained personnel are saving the lives of victims trapped at high angles or in confined spaces thanks to the Civil Aid Service’s High-Angle Rescue Training Centre.

The rescue personnel in red uniforms, often observed at scenes of emergencies, belong to the Mountain Search & Rescue Company of the Civil Aid Service. While they are not full-time emergency forces, they are wholeheartedly committed to the distinctive services they deliver.

Indoor training centre

In order to provide the quality training that is required, the Civil Aid Service, together with the Architectural Services Department, turned a workshop that sat idle into the High-Angle Rescue Training Centre that celebrated its opening ceremony last year in May.

Located inside the Civil Aid Service Headquarters in Yau Ma Tei, the centre spares members of the service from bad weather conditions during training. It features various key furnishings for a better learning and training experience.

Fully equipped

Designed with maximum possible ceiling height, the training centre comes equipped with various anchor points to enable those undergoing abseiling training to safely and securely ascend and descend as well as practise using different tools.

The service’s Operations & Training Officer (Cadet) Tsang Chi-wing noted that most of the emergency duties involve protecting hikers by escorting them from steep mountains to safe places. Their training mainly focuses on descending from height slowly with the use of ropes and other equipment.

“So the passageway and height of the second floor of the training centre indeed heightened our understanding of what equipment and techniques can enhance our operational efficiency.”

Besides taking height into consideration, rescue operations occasionally involve dealing with narrow spaces. This is why a simulation manhole is on-site as it helps the personnel to exercise carrying out such difficult rescues.

“This manhole enables us to try to simulate rescues with other specific equipment in the vertical and confined spaces, which really allows us to accumulate more practical experiences throughout the training.”

Hard-earned success

Operations & Training Officer (Tactical Force) Charles Lau, who participated in designing the training centre, recalled struggling with the limited space they have. In the interest of safety, he explained why calculating the structure’s load capacity was critically important.

“Because we have to consider the maximum number of persons that can stay in the training area here.”

Mr Lau said the centre’s design is in conformity with international standards that call for providing a safe and appropriate venue for training.

Diverse training

The Civil Aid Service offers three aspects of rescue training. Such aspects comprise training for newly recruited members, advanced training for the Emergency Rescue Company and training to use complex ropes and stretchers for the Mountain Search & Rescue Company.

All units are eligible to use the high-angle training centre depending on their training schedule.

The Cadet Corps once held an event in the centre to offer youngsters a glimpse of the specialised training the adult members undertake and they plan to do so again in the future.

Hong Kong permanent residents aged 18 or older are eligible to apply for the Civil Aid Service membership.

Newly recruited members must go through 160 hours of training and pass all tests to obtain the Certificate in Auxiliary Forces Basic Training Programme (Civil Defence).

The programme has been recognised under the Qualifications Framework as meeting accreditation standards at Level 3 and those who successfully complete it can become official members of the service.

Official members can then apply to join the Mountain Search & Rescue Company. Once they fulfil requirements, such as weight training, night navigation, high-altitude capability and so forth, they can proudly don the company’s red uniform.