It was the second time the SAR had joined international disaster relief work after the 2023 Turkey earthquake.
Speaking on an RTHK programme, Senior Fireman Leung Chi-wang explained some of the lessons learned.
“After Turkey, we used sensors which point infrared rays at leaning buildings. If the sensor detects that the building may fall, it makes a sound to warn our rescue team members. We also plan an escape route whenever we enter a site, so everyone follows that path and gathers at a safe location in the event of danger,” he said.
Leung said one incident in Myanmar where the sensors were useful was when aftershocks hit during the team’s job rotation.
The rescue team is seeking international standard recognition from the United Nations as a medium Urban Search and Rescue Team. The United Nations has three classifications – heavy, medium, and light – which allow affected countries to choose the teams best suited to the disaster area.
The team had also been upgrading its equipment over the past two years.
