Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip inspected the Fire Services Department’s passing-out parade for 14 station officers, three ambulance officers, 79 firemen and 77 ambulancemen at the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy today.

Speaking at the parade, Mr Nip commended the department for rising to the challenge at the forefront in the fight against COVID-19 by providing emergency treatment to suspected or confirmed patients, and transferring them and relevant close contacts to hospitals and other medical facilities for testing, quarantine or further treatment.

He noted that the department fully supports the Government's anti-epidemic measures. It not only assisted in setting up quarantine centres and a temporary hospital, but also mobilised more than 1,000 staff members to render assistance in launching the Universal Community Testing Programme by serving as officers-in-charge or samplers in testing centres.

Department staff also assisted in spot checks on people under home quarantine and tracing the contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Mr Nip added that the department recruited almost 800 staff members over a short period of time to assist in the first large-scale compulsory testing exercise in the Jordan specified restricted area in February. They provided support to on-site logistics and devoted efforts to cut the virus transmission chain in the community.

Noting that the department has to cope with numerous arduous tasks related to the pandemic, Mr Nip said it has efficiently implemented a number of work plans at the same time and continuously improved its services to meet the needs of society.

He encouraged the graduates to make the most of every training opportunity in the future and continue to enrich themselves so that they can keep abreast of the department's fast developments and deal with new challenges in their work.

They were also advised to participate in various initiatives of the Government and the department and fulfil the departmental mission of "Serving with courage, passion and commitment".

The parade was followed by a demonstration of firefighting and rescue techniques by the graduates, who will be posted to various fire stations and ambulance depots.