Hong Kong’s 999 service could let callers share live audio and video through messaging apps such as WhatsApp, giving control-room staff more information about emergencies as they unfold.
Security Secretary Tang Ping-keung said the proposed feature would add to the existing 999 phone service, not replace it, and was expected to launch in 2028, according to HK01. The extra information could help staff assess scenes and allocate resources more accurately.
Under the plan, reports would reach fire control in real time, allowing staff to speak with callers while viewing the scene. Tang said artificial intelligence would help rank and route different types of reports, prioritising urgent incidents such as fires. Frontline staff would also receive training.
At an independent committee hearing into a major fire, it emerged that the 999 reporting centre had 207 lines, while the Fire Services Communications Centre had 30. Calls transferred from police to fire services created a bottleneck, HK01 reported.
Tang said the fire communications lines had since increased to around 60, with a short-term target of 100.