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As a densely populated international city, Hong Kong faces a variety of natural and man-made disaster risks. To enhance overall emergency preparedness, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust supports the HKSAR Government Fire Services Department’s (FSD) Disaster Management and Preparedness Programme. In a bid to encourage regional collaboration and exchange, the three-day Fire Asia 2024 symposium is being held in Hong Kong this week.

The symposium kicked off today (10 July), where Michael Lee, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, joined Chan Kwok-ki, HKSAR Government Chief Secretary for Administration; Tang Ping-keung, Secretary for Security; Patrick Li, Permanent Secretary for Security; Andy Yeung, Director of Fire Services; and other guests at the opening ceremony.

The three-year programme aims to promote emergency response capacity building, regional collaboration and public emergency awareness. The Fire Asia 2024 symposium will facilitate international exchange of expertise and best practices. This year, local and overseas fire safety experts and professionals will gather under the theme “Collaboration and Technology - Better Prepare the Community for Emergency”, sharing knowledge and best practices to address future challenges. The programme has also supported the FSD to conduct training and drills with non-governmental organisations and other government departments, as well as with authorities in Guangdong province for drills in the Greater Bay Area.

Other initiatives of the programme include equipping buildings lacking proper management structures with essential fire safety equipment and standalone detectors; installing automated external defibrillator (AED) machines in convenience stores, bus stations and 24-hour automated self-service banking centres; and organising various public educational activities, empowering over 80,000 members of the public with essential fire safety knowledge. 

The Club’s support for these initiatives, like all its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for the community.