Hong Kong firefighters get HK$8.4 million tracking upgrade after Tai Po fire

Last year's deadly fire in Tai Po prompted Hong Kong to upgrade the tracking devices used by its firefighters, with a new system costing HK$8.4 million (US$1.1 million) now in place. This development came after a judge-led committee's report highlighted the limitations of the previous Firefighter Location System (FLS), which had a vertical signal transmission range of only 23 floors and could weaken based on a building's layout.

The Fire Services Department began developing the two-in-one Firefighter Tracking Devices (FTDs) in February 2025, before the Tai Po tragedy, and introduced them to all fire stations in August. The new FTDs can be worn by every breathing apparatus team member and emit an audible alarm and flash when triggered or left motionless for 45 seconds at a fire scene.

These devices then broadcast a dual-frequency radio signal audible to other nearby devices. When a firefighter becomes distressed, the FTD's screen provides rescuers with directional guidance and the horizontal and vertical distance to the person in danger. The new system can manage multiple distress signals simultaneously and allows both sending an alert and searching for others.

The FTD has a significant advantage over the previous FLS as it can overcome severe signal blockage more effectively. Additionally, a separate active tracking system called FILE, designed for use in low-rise buildings, was also at the Tai Po scene but not utilized due to its limitations in high-rise buildings.