Third Generation Mobilizing System

The existing mobilizing system that Fire Services Communication Center (FSCC) operates is the Second Generation Mobilizing System (SGMS) which has been used for about ten years. The spare parts for SGMS will not be available in the next couple of years and tailored-made spare parts will be impractical. SGMS is doomed to reach the end of its serviceable life by 2003. On the other hand, the growth in the number of emergency calls, the increasing sophistication of emergency service natures, and the development of more complex mobilizing procedures have all led to the demand for a more powerful mobilizing system.

In 1999, a consultant was engaged to assess the need for a replacement system whose findings confirmed that the existing capacity of SGMS will not be able to cope with the growth in call volume projected beyond 2003. It also warned that effective communication and mobilization of fire and ambulance resources will be seriously undermined if a replacement system is not available in time. Upon obtaining funding approval from Legislative Council, procurement action for TGMS immediately started in June 2000. The procurement includes the design, supply, implementation, commissioning, maintenance and other related services. A contract of HK$445 million was awarded to Singapore Engineering Software Limited (SES) in March 2001.

The new system - TGMS will provide a state-of-the-art command and control system for efficient mobilization of fire and ambulance resources to scenes of emergencies. It will adopt an open system design for system flexibility and expandability, such that it will enable the Department to meet the target dispatch time and to cope with the projected growth of emergency calls up to 2013.

Comprising 21 sub-systems, TGMS will help improve fire-fighting and rescue operations by enhancing the identification, location and mobilization of resources. As a whole, TGMS's automation features will improve the efficiency in information exchange by means of graphics and text transmission through a wireless digital network. TGMS is fully commissioned in June 2005 and its estimated life span will be not less than ten years.