FIRE FIGHTING IN HIGH-RISE BUILDING

Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The commonly seen high-rise buildings are indeed a unique solution to accommodate a total of 7.2 million citizens. In the real life context of Hong Kong, most people live, work and even spend their leisure time in high-rise buildings. A population density of a thousand more persons within a single high-rise building is thus not uncommon, entailing fundamental but critical concerns on building fire safety in terms of life and fire risks therein. This paper aims at giving engineering professionals a better understanding on the role of the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD) in building tire safety as well as the challenges and the general operational procedures of firefighters when battling with a tower inferno. Based on a Five Es Approach to intervene the risk of high-rise building lire, the Government of the HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION has been injecting significant resources to address the risk from an educational, enforcement, economic incentive and emergency response perspectives. Coupled with the echo of engineering professionals in the way of better high-rise building design and construction, the overall risk could be comprehensively addressed for the eventual benefits of the community and the firefighters. In Hong Kong, we have been very fortunate that there have not been many serious fire incidents in high-rise buildings. Generally, we have been able to limit the effects of fire through safe building design, unrelenting enforcement efforts on building fire safety improvement work and defective FSI as well as quick response to lire calls. Looking back through the years, I am confident to claim that both the fire lighters and engineering professionals have achieved much in making our built-in environments less susceptible to the effects of fire. Being mindful of any pointless complacency of our past achievement, we shall continue to work together and do our best to make Hong Kong a safer place to live, work and visit.