Struck by the fifth wave of the epidemic, public hospitals are overburdened and are in urgent need of additional supports. A group of Force members who had completed the Police Oriented Tactical Emergency Medicine Course held by the Police College and were equipped with first responder medical knowledge appealed to the course attendees to volunteer at public hospitals in late February. The response was overwhelming, with a total of 45 serving officers and one retired officer joining hands to form the Police Medic Special Duty Team (Team). Some of the Team members were registered nurses before joining the Force. They attended a training provided by the Hospital Authority on March 1 and were mobilised to three public hospitals the day after where they were to provide non-emergency ambulance transfer service, assist inter-hospital patient transfer, convey patients between isolation facilities, and escort recovered patients to their place of residence.

Serving as the training instructor of the Police Oriented Tactical Emergency Medicine Course, 46-year-old Station Sergeant Gary believed this was the perfect opportunity to put their learning to good use and to provide emergency relief to those in need. Backed with the support of his family, Gary signed up for joining the Team without hesitation.

The Team is fully committed to ease the burden of the frontline healthcare workers. “All Team members, disregarding their rank, are devoted to conveying patients and recovered patients with their physical strength. They have to help clean up the elderly that suffer from incontinence and disinfect their stretchers or wheelchairs. We have all made full use of our first aid knowledge and have safely transferred patients and recovered patients to different destinations,” said Gary.

The Team has thus far transferred over 1 800 patients, of which a significant portion is elderly. Team members were once tasked to send an elderly man with impaired mobility home. Only when they arrived at the residential building did they realise there was no elevator, so they carried him up the stairs. Gary pointed out that since elderly are more vulnerable to COVID-19, their family are generally in greater joy when they recover and return home. He recalled the most unforgettable task, “We were sending a 70-year-old man home who had been discharged after being hospitalised for three months. His safe return moved his wife into tears. She held his hand and said, ‘The whole family is finally reunited.’ It was a very touching moment and had motivated us to serve.”

Queen Elizabeth Hospital, to which Gary was posted, has been converted to a designated hospital for COVID-19 patients since March 9. Gary’s workload and the risk of infection have both soared significantly. He said, “Officers are required to shower and disinfect themselves before departing the hospital and upon arrival at home. I have to work for around 14 to 15 hours a day at peak. It is usually very late at night when I get home, and I can be so exhausted that I fall asleep during dinner.”

Team members are pleased to be of assistance to healthcare workers during the epidemic. All parties are united on the frontline against the virus. Gary said, “Our Team members work closely with local medical personnel and Mainland medical support team on a daily basis.

We all encourage one another at work. I am very honoured to be a part of this great mission and would not regret even if I got infected.”