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The 999 Console, with the diligent effort by 480 Police Communications Officers (PCOs) of the Information Systems Wing (ISW), processes over two million emergency calls each year. It is by no means easy to answer a call in every 14 seconds on average. In response to the upsurge of 999 emergency calls under the epidemic, the Force promptly implemented new measures to ensure the effective use of resources in addition to the cooperation of the public.
Public enquiries about the epidemic and requests for ambulance service have contributed to the surge of 999 emergency calls, resulting in the average waiting time of incoming calls to be 21 seconds in February 2022 which has tripled from seven seconds in 2021. Chief Police Communications Officer of Regional Command and Control Centre of Hong Kong Island (RCCC HKI) Ho Ka-fai said, “Under the new measure recently implemented by the Force to achieve greater efficiency, PCOs will now immediately ascertain if the patients can take care of themselves and whether they are elderly or children. For those with mild symptoms, in consciousness or in the company of their family, their calls will be immediately diverted to the Fire Services Communications Centre for (FSCC) so that informants can communicate with FSCC officers directly. Such new measure allows the PCO to answer the next emergency call in the shortest time possible, thus making full use of the available resources.”
With a view to strengthening the efficiency of answering 999 calls, ISW has added 48 PCO posts in recent years. New colleagues come from different sectors, such as aviation, banking and hotel industries. They all share the same goal of serving the public and helping more people in need.
Having joined the Force for 29 years, Chief Police Communications Officer of ISW Hung Wai-yan said, “In order to focus manpower to discharge main duties, the Force has established a classification of ‘No Police Response’ (NPR) cases. After analysing the incident with their rich experience, PCOs will classify minor or non-emergency calls that should be handled by other departments as NPR cases, and will clearly explain to the informants that they may make online reports via the e-Report Centre of the Police or other channels etc. If the incident involves criminal elements, affects traffic flow significantly or imposes danger to children, elderly or individuals, PCOs will deploy officers to handle. There were 360 000 NPR cases in 2021, accounting for about 16 per cent of the total number of calls.”
It is essential for PCOs to respond and make decisions within a very short time, also to remain calm to offer help to informants. Despite the significantly increased workload under the epidemic, PCOs will continue to spare no effort in discharging duties and deploying resources efficiently to provide emergency service to the public.
PCO Wong Tsz-shan
I was previously a flight attendant and I currently work at the Divisional Console. I once managed two suicide cases simultaneously. After deploying officers and alerting relevant departments within a very short time, the two persons who attempted suicide were successfully rescued. I wish to attend more training and offer help to more people in need under the epidemic.
PCO Lau Chui-yee
Before joining the Force four years ago, I was a hotel guest service officer. I wanted to become a PCO because I was eager to help those in need. During the epidemic, 999 calls have increased so much that we barely have time to use the washroom. I once received a call concerning a traffic accident. The informant was very emotional after witnessing his driver friend being thrown out of the car. I had to calm him down and guided him to describe the location of the accident so that officers could be deployed to the scene at once. Eventually the driver died on spot. Even though I was very upset about it, I had to muster up the strength to serve the next informant in line. This is my most unforgettable experience working at the Console.
