7 Photos
Under a stretch of cloudless sky, hot and sizzling, 70 members of the Police Anti-Coronavirus Contingent (PACC), comprising retirees and serving officers, were in Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre on July 19 and 20 to help the Department of Health (DH) and the Civil Aid Service (CAS) to get 750 cubicles ready to accommodate people undergoing the mandatory 14-day quarantine. Each cubicle can accommodate two persons, and PACC had to check electricity and water supply, a number of furnishings, electrical appliances and cleaning items, as well as to put two sets of bedding items into each cubicle according to a Master List. They had to deal with the deficiency in items and help replenish.
In response to an urgent appeal for volunteering service from the DH, PACC members led by PACC Head cum Director of the Police College, Assistant Commissioner Cheung Ching proceeded to Penny’s Bay at 9am on July 19, with Commissioner Tang Ping-keung taking part in the volunteering work and meeting PACC members at the forefront. The first day got 450 cubicles done while the remaining 300 cubicles were made ready on the second day.
Retired Senior Inspector Ng Wai-kwong said, “It was really hot during the day; all helpers were soaked through their shirts. I saw CAS staff and many other workers on ground working tirelessly to get the site prepared for admissions. Seeing their sweat and hard work reminds us that we all need to work together on social distancing to help control the pandemic situation, or otherwise the quarantine facilities will be exhausted very soon.”
Most PACC members are attached to Formations in Police Headquarters, apart from their primary police core duties, they have been assisting the CAS in manning the quarantine centre in JPC@Pat Heung since March 31. In addition, PACC is further committed to working in partnership with the CAS in facilitating the operation of Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre with deployment of serving officers on ground commencing July 22.
Ms Carol Chung, Staff Officer responsible for operations and training in CAS said, “I am grateful to PACC members’ support and their turnout within a short notice to help us make rooms ready for new admissions facing the critical situation. Voluntariness of PACC members in attending to the dirty zone area has helped us manage the centre.”
Superintendents Kung Hing-fun of the Police College and Lo Shui-lin of the Traffic Branch Headquarters are coordinators for PACC retirees and serving members for anti-coronavirus work. Any interested Force members, retired or serving, please get in touch with them on 2860 4228 or 2860 6274 respectively.
