CAS reminds hikers of mountaineering safety

Hong Kong (HKSAR) - The Civil Aid Service (CAS) and 17 government departments and mountaineering organisations will hold "Mountaineering Safety Promotion Day 2009" at CAS Headquarters on Saturday and Sunday (November 14 and 15). CAS has appealed to people that they should never hike alone. From January to September this year, CAS received 46 mountain rescue cases and 17 of them were people hiking on their own.

There were 69 cases in 2008 and 20 of those involved people walking alone. CAS has advised people to hike in groups of four to six people. It is advisable that group members include people with hiking experience and first-aid knowledge.

The two-day event will showcase advanced mountaineering equipment, such as digital map, global positioning systems device and cable car rescue/mountain rescue equipment. The public also will have an opportunity to try police night vision goggles. Safety talks will be conducted to disseminate mountaineering safety messages to the public.

Speakers from the Hong Kong Observatory will explain the implications of weather on hiking activities and provide information to educate the public on how to deal with inclement weather. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will providea simple one-minute jogging test to evaluate if the person is physically fit for hiking. Hiking equipment will also be displayed.

There will be mountain search and rescue demonstration, and performances by police search dogs, bicycle trick riding, marching bands and a side-drum team. The Mountaineering Safety Promotion Day 2009 will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm at the CAS Headquarters at 8 To Wah Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon. Admission is free.

For information about the event, please visit the CAS website: http://www.cas.gov.hk/eng/welcome.html The CAS is co-organising the event with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, Auxiliary Medical Service, Fire Services Department, Government Flying Service, Hong Kong Observatory, Hong Kong Police Force, Office of the Telecommunications Authority, The Hong Kong Award for Young People, Camping Association of Hong Kong, China, Ltd, Hong Kong Girl Guides Association, Hong Kong Hiking Association, China, Hong Kong Mountaineering Union, Hong Kong Sport Climbing Union, and Orienteering Association of Hong Kong, Raleigh International Hong Kong, Scout Association of Hong Kong, and Shenzhen Mountaineering and Outdoorsports Association.

Source: HKSAR Government

Published on: 2009-11-10

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