Police, Civil Aid Service, Fire Services Department and Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department were in Sai Kung to promote the benefits of travelling with friends and the new Project Hill Pal app.
The Police, together with the Fire Services Department, the Civil Aid Service and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, announced the “Project Hill Pal” programme in Sai Kung Country Park on Saturday (19/11), calling on the public to hike together to reduce casualties caused by hiking alone.
Chief Inspector Fu Chun-yip, of the Operations Department of East Kowloon Region announced that from September 2021 to August 2022, there were 256 search and rescue operations involving the police force and other government departments in the East Kowloon Region, and 30% of the cases involved hiking alone; 90% of the cases occurred in Sai Kung District, while the rest were in Tseung Kwan O and Wong Tai Sin Districts.
“The fatality rate for lone hikers is higher because when they had accidents, there was a lapse in time before their families discovered they were missing and reported it to the police, resulting in delays in the rescue operations,” he said.
The police appeal to hikers to use the AFCD’s “Enjoy Hiking” mobile application, which can assist search and rescue personnel in mountain search and rescue work. When the app’s “Hiking Tracking” function and the satellite positioning system (GPS) are activated, the app will automatically record the location of the hikers within 24 hours. If an accident occurs, search and rescue personnel can search for relevant persons based on the relevant records, shortening the search and rescue time . The relevant data will be deleted seven days after the program is closed to ensure that there is no privacy issue.
Mo Shan-hoi, station commander of Sai Kung Fire Station, appealed to the public to plan hiking routes based on experience and ability, bring all the equipment, and reschedule if the weather is not as expected. In addition, do not enter the dense forests of the mountains, and do not engage in high-risk activities such as jumping into pools and climbing cliffs. He also warned people not to hike alone, adding that residents should be well-equipped with enough food and tools, and avoid going to risky areas, especially to take selfies.
The East Kowloon Police District and various departments promoted the “Project Hill Pal” programme in Sai Kung Country Park, calling on citizens to travel together when hiking, and to download a hiking application equipped with a satellite positioning system (GPS) to assist in early positioning during search and rescue.
“The Fire Services Department often receives calls from hikers for help in cases where they got lost, injured, trapped on a mountain top or suffer a heatstroke” he said. “When we carried out our rescue operations, the most difficult thing was identifying the person’s exact location.”
Nearly 10% cent of solo hikers who needed rescuing ended up dying, Hong Kong police have warned, urging residents to install a GPS app to make tracking easier during accidents.
The force and fire services officials on Saturday urged residents to refrain from going on trails alone and posing for selfies at risky spots, as they rolled out the Project Hill Pal campaign to raise awareness about the importance of hiking with other people.
Autumn and winter are the peak times for hiking
Hiking accidents have become more common in recent years, with more Hongkongers heading outdoors to get some exercise and fresh air during the coronavirus pandemic. But many hikers who flocked to the city’s popular outdoor trails were unprepared and unaware of hazards as they ventured in search of selfies in dangerous spots, resulting in unnecessary tragedies.
Official figures showed there were eight hiking-related fatalities in the first five months of this year. The number of deaths rose to 14 last year from 11 in 2020.
Injuries in hiking-related cases reached 232 between January and May this year, according to the department. The number of people injured increased to 608 in 2021, from 323 in the year before.
In the first five months of this year, the department carried out 408 rescue operations, while there were 951 last year and 602 in 2020.
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