The delivery of the very first BMU for rescue training purposes is only weeks away. This BMU was built to simulate emergency situations at the renewed Fire Services Training School (FSTS) for the Hong Kong Fire Services Department. The FSTS provides training and education for Hong Kong’s fire services and ambulance personnel, both to new recruits and to currently employed staff.
Hong Kong’s new Fire Services Training School
The new state-of-the-art training school – designed by Moore Ruble Yudell Architects & Planners, – facilitates the simulation of different types of large-scale emergencies, most notably including aircraft incidents and marine incidents. Of course, a complex that includes some of the most advanced fire training facilities in the world would not be complete without a solution that allows firemen to practice rescue operations at great heights.
Rescue operations at great height
Hong Kong is home to some of the tallest buildings in the world, which means that window cleaners or maintenance workers often work at soaring heights. In cases of equipment failure, they could be trapped inside a gondola or platform that is suspended in front of a facade.
The rescue of workers inside a gondola at great heights is a very dangerous operation. Therefore, firemen need to be able to practice such rescue operations in the most realistic conditions.
In 2014, XSPlatforms had already provided a BMU for the FSTS, for maintenance purposes. As the only company that is capable of such extreme customizations, XSPlatforms was approached again to design a solution for the training of rescue operations at great heights.
Our solution
For this purpose, a fixed roof car will be installed on the roof of the training center, at a height of approximately 35 meters (115 feet). This roof car has the ability to tilt the gondola up to 60 degrees, so that trainees can practice the evacuation of workers inside the gondola in case of emergency.
This unique solution makes it possible to create a controlled accident situation, in order to improve the success rate of rescue operations in an actual life-or-death situation.
Gondola in normal position
Gondola tilted 60 degrees
We were happy to take on this project with JEC, a trusted Partner of XSPlatforms in Asia. XSPlatforms and JEC have worked together for a long time and have completed several successful projects in the past, including a BMU for the FSTS back in 2014 (for actual maintenance purposes).
For us, the requirements of our client are always the starting point – and the development of a BMU exclusively for rescue training purposes requires a whole new approach. As an expert in facade access equipment, XSPlatforms is always looking for new challenges to protect the lives of those working at height. Because of this reputation, we were the first choice for this challenging project.
As a supplier of facade access equipment, XSPlatforms is proud to hold a zero-accident track record.
See what our rescue training BMU can do: