Fire at Cheung Sha Wan subdivided flat
Hong Kong Red Cross provides emergency relief 
and psychological support service to affected residents​
 

A fire broke out at Sun Po Building in Cheung Sha Wan in midnight shortly after 12am on 5 October 2013, causing 1 dead and 2 injured. A number of affected households were evacuated to the temporary shelter in the Nam Cheong District Community Centre.

Upon request by the Social Welfare Department at 10:15am that day, the Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) mobilized 9 volunteers and staff from the Local Emergency Service Team to the shelter at around 1pm. They distributed relief materials (including clothing bundles, sweaters, and daily necessities such as shampoo, bathing lotion, disposable razors) to 11 residents of 7 affected households.

Members of the HKRC Local Emergency Service Team have received Psychological First Aid training. Led by HKRC’s Clinical Psychologist, they also provided on-site psychological support service to 8 adults and 2 children affected by the fire.

The HKRC Local Disaster Relief Service
Since 1951, the Hong Kong Red Cross Local Disaster Relief Service has been providing clothing and daily necessities to the local population affected by natural disasters or other emergencies, as well as destitute individuals referred by government departments and other social service organizations. The Service is funded by the Social Welfare Department and The Community Chest of Hong Kong.

HKRC Psychological Support Service
HKRC has launched the “Psychological Support Service” in Hong Kong since 2004. We are dedicated to train up more people in the community to be “psychological first aiders” so as to prepare for the provision of psychological support in emergencies, which can alleviate the initial distress of the victims and other affected persons, and reduce the impact of trauma. So far, HKRC has registered about 270 trained psychological support service volunteers, including 3 psychologists. We provide the Service to the affected in local critical incidents or natural disasters. Since 2006, we have also started collaboration with the Hong Kong Airport Authority in provision of immediate psychological first aid to the affected parties traumatized by aviation disasters.

Photo Caption
HKRC “Local Disaster Response Team” members provide emergency relief materials and psychological support service to the fire-affected people.