Hong Kong Conducts Large-Scale Drill to Prepare for Opening of New Huanggang Port

First large-scale drill conducted at Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area 

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area, with a view to testing the overall management of passenger and vehicular flows at the port building and the public transport interchange (PTI), and to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the port.

About 1 000 civil servants from over 20 departments had been mobilised for this drill. They were instructed to take different modes of public transport (including franchised bus, short-haul cross-boundary coach, green minibus and taxi) to reach the PTI located on the second floor of the port building. Afterwards, they proceeded to the departure hall on the fifth floor and the arrival hall on the fourth floor, then returned to the PTI on the second floor. Subsequently, they followed the instruction to leave the port by taking public transport. Participants and vehicles dispatched by various public transport operators participated in cyclical trials involving more than 120 departures to simulate the flow of people and vehicles arriving and departing from the port. These trials aimed at testing and assessing the management of passenger and vehicular flows, passageway capacity, arrangement of on-site guidance, traffic control, and various supporting measures at the port building and PTI.

The Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung, and the Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Ms Mable Chan, inspected the drill on-site. Mr Tang said that the flow of the entire drill had been smooth and meticulously arranged under the close co-operation of all parties.Areas for improvement were identified and will be gradually addressed in subsequent drills. This large-scale drill achieved the expected results and test objectives. He said he hopes that through interdepartmental co-operation, larger drills could be conducted in the future for continuous optimisation of the detailed arrangements, thereby making the most comprehensive preparation for the opening of the Huanggang Port. Ms Chan stated that the first drill today had primarily tested local and cross-boundary public transport services and ancillary arrangements of the Hong Kong Port Area. During the drill, the management of passengers boarding, alighting and queuing, and the management of passenger and vehicular flows operated smoothly, resulting in a positive passenger experience. The Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Transport Department will continue to carefully review and improve the arrangements based on user needs, ensuring the best possible preparation for a highly efficient transport network at the Huanggang Port.

Representatives from various bureaux, departments and organisations participated in the drill, including the Security Bureau, the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Civil Service Bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Transport Department, the Highways Department, the Immigration Department, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, the Department of Health, the Fire Services Department, the Architectural Services Department, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department, the Government Property Agency, the Digital Policy Office, the Office of the Communications Authority, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Civil Aid Service, the Auxiliary Medical Service, and various public transport operators.

The HKSAR Government will continue to conduct drills and tests of various scales to comprehensively assess the capacity of the Huanggang Port and its surrounding facilities.

Getting the port ready for opening at an early date is the common goal of the two governments of Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The HKSAR Government will continue to work closely with the Shenzhen side to press ahead with the various preparatory tasks at full steam. Upon confirmation by both sides that the port is ready for safe and smooth operation, the governments of Guangdong and Hong Kong will finalise the official opening date of the Huanggang Port and make timely announcements to the public.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows representatives from various public transport operators providing on-site guidance at the public transport interchange located on the second floor. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows participants following instructions to leave the port by public transport using different payment methods. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows participants moving from the arrival hall on fourth floor to the public transport interchange on the second floor. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows participants arriving at the departure hall on the fifth floor. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows participants moving from the public transport interchange located on the second floor of the port building to the departure hall on the fifth floor. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows an ambassador helping a wheelchair user to take a lift to the departure hall on the fifth floor. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows civil servants from different departments taking different modes of public transport as instructed to reach the public transport interchange located on the second floor of the port building. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today (August 13) conducted a large-scale drill at the Huanggang Port Hong Kong Port Area to prepare for the upcoming official opening of the facility. Photo shows police officers at the northbound vehicle holding area directing different modes of public transport to the port building. Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hospital Authority Family Medicine Clinics only accept calls with caller ID for appointment booking starting tomorrow

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

A spokesperson for the Hospital Authority (HA) reminded the public today (August 14) that, to further safeguard patients' personal data and privacy, starting tomorrow (August 15), the telephone appointment system (TAS) of Family Medicine Clinics (FMCs) will only accept calls from phone numbers with caller ID for appointment booking. If patients hide their phone number before calling the TAS, the system will automatically play a recorded message reminding them to switch to a phone with caller ID and call the FMC again.

For patients with episodic diseases requiring consultation services (such as influenza or gastroenteritis), before calling the TAS of an FMC, they may first check whether the "Show my caller ID" function is enabled in the settings of their mobile phones. If a patient's landline has opted for a per-line blocking, they should dial 1357 before making a call to display the phone number once for that specific call, or contact the telecommunications service provider to cancel the arrangement for per-line blocking.

The spokesperson for HA reiterated that the updated TAS of FMCs, which no longer accepts calls without caller ID for appointment bookings, aims to accurately record the source of each booking call, facilitate verification of patient information when necessary, and help prevent criminals from using phones without caller ID to impersonate patients when making appointments, thereby enhancing protection for patients.

The HA reminds new patients, namely those who have never registered in the HA nor used HA services, that they are required to bring their original identity documents and visit any FMC in person to register and verify their information before they can use the telephone appointment service thereafter. As for chronic disease patients, after each follow-up visit, the FMC will arrange the next appointment based on the patients' clinical needs, and these patients do not need to make an appointment again by calling the TAS. The HA encourages patients to use the Book FMC function in the mobile application, HA Go, which is more convenient and efficient.

Source: AI-found images