Hong Kong mountain safety day draws record youth participation
Hong Kong's Civil Aid Service held its annual Mountain Safety Promotion Day on 25 October 2026, featuring a new youth zone with eight disciplined services. Officials highlighted the use of drones in search-and-rescue operations under a low-altitude economy sandbox scheme, and awarded certificates to
Hong Kong's Civil Aid Service (CAS) held the "Mountain Safety Promotion Day 2026 and Community Emergency Experience Day" on 25 October, drawing participation from eight disciplined services and their youth uniformed teams. CAS Commissioner Pang Ying-sun said the event added a new "Disciplined and Auxiliary Services Youth Zone" under the coordination of the Security Bureau, featuring interactive game booths to introduce the city's emergency response system and the work of each service.
Pang said the event aligned with the "First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030)", encouraging young people to engage through technology and innovative thinking to improve mountain safety and community emergency awareness. He also presented certificates to graduates of the "Mountain Casualty Handling Course" and the "Climbing Safety and Mountain Rescue Course".
CAS Chief of Staff Leung Kwun-hong said the CAS has worked alongside other government departments in mountain search-and-rescue operations. He cited a joint operation in August 2026 with the Hong Kong Police, Fire Services Department and Government Flying Service that successfully located a woman who had been missing for over a week at Lei Yue Mun and sent her to hospital. The operation demonstrated the professional spirit of all departments, he said.
Leung said the CAS has actively deployed drones in daily operations and searches to improve efficiency and streamline procedures. Under the low-altitude economy regulatory sandbox scheme, the CAS will trial drone patrols, wildfire detection, and the delivery of mountain equipment or first-aid supplies such as automated external defibrillators, which could help rescue personnel make better use of the golden hour of rescue.
Other guests included Police Commissioner Monday Tse, Security Bureau Deputy Secretary Yan Cheung-wah, Government Flying Service Controller Liu Ka-chun, Fire Services Department New Territories South Divisional Commander Ho Chun-pong, and representatives from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Office of the Communications Authority, the Hong Kong Observatory, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Auxiliary Medical Services, the Lands Department and multiple mountaineering groups. The event featured game booths, displays of mountain activity equipment, and eight booths run by youth teams to promote mountain safety and emergency response awareness.
