Focus

Beijing moves to boost its response to emergencies

By Eric Joy (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-06 13:37

Beijing will build more infrastructure, add additional personnel and clear car-clogged fire lanes as part of a plan to boost the city's emergency response services.

The Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau said more than 100 new fire stations will be built during the next three years to address a shortage of stations in the capital, bringing the total number of stations to 200.

More than 100 fire stations will be built during the next three years in Beijing. [CHUN QIU /FOR CHINA DAILY]

"What we are doing now is trying to make the capital a safer place to live and our emergency response times much quicker," said an official from the bureau who declined to be identified.

The bureau will hire a fire inspector charged with ensuring buildings and public places do no violate code and prevent potential fire hazards.

A volunteer fire squad program will also be initiated in the future. The volunteers will be trained by professional firefighters, the official said.

Additional helipads will be constructed to facilitate more aerial rescues to locations that are unreachable because of congested roadways.

Three helicopters will be added to support more aerial and ground rescues and respond to serious fire disasters especilly in downtown Beijing , the bureau said.

Officials will also crack down on private cars and other vehicles that block fire lanes.

A proposed ordinance will fine the owners of vehicles parked in fire lanes between 5,000 yuan and 50,000 yuan.

Cars are prohibited to be parked on or in the fire lanes but instead on the streets or in other public places.

Drivers say they are concerned the new policy will make it even more difficult to find parking places, which is already a headache for many years.

"It's unreasonable for them (the government) to fine us so much money. Where else can we park and take a break?" said Bai Hui, a taxi driver.

"Besides, we have paid the property management fee regularly, but we still find it difficult to get a suitble place to park my car," he told METRO.

Violations of the code are especially prominent in smaller communities in the capital because of the difficulty in finding parking places.

Fire control bureau officials said they will enforce the ordinance only if car owners cannot be contacted.

The punishment had already been proposed more than two years ago but was never put into practice.

"We are only fining people who directly create problems. If the driver can be reached and their vehicle moved in time, there will be no problems," said an official with the Public Security Bureau.

"If the driver cannot be found, and it results in a disaster, there will be repercussions."

Chaoyang district goverment has already posited eight civilian staff to help the local anti-fire bureaus and 603 volunteers to the subdistrict offices.

FOR CHINA DAILY