【NewsBuddy】消防勇士逆風破浪 築浮橋救村民

【原文】摘錄自10月20日香港《文匯報》：2023年9月7日，「世紀暴雨」襲港；9月8日凌晨，石澳道塌路；9月8日夜晚，特區政府召開跨部門會議，消防處建議用水陸撤離被困居民；9月9日，行動開始。

三條村落逾千村民，斷電、斷水、斷聯，與世隔絕近72小時。暴雨肆虐，消防處高級消防隊長詹德峰、伍頌然及消防隊長袁家偉帶領一群「雷霆救兵」，用他們的勇敢與智慧，書寫了一段關於責任、愛與希望的傳奇。

石澳道完全封閉，在陸路撤離無望的情況下，浮橋成為了唯一的希望。在浮橋上，每一個細節都充滿了危險與挑戰：如何固定浮橋以確保其穩定？如何安全轉移受困村民？這些問題都在考驗着消防隊的智慧與勇氣。

「石澳沒有用來泊岸的設施，消防船不能靠岸。所以當時唯一的選擇，就是架設浮橋來幫助居民登船離開」，伍頌然解釋說。但惡劣的天氣和未知的風險，讓救援行動充滿變數。

然而，正是在這樣的逆境中，消防隊員們展現出了驚人的毅力和團隊協作能力。當浮橋到達石澳的時候，首先派出蛙人去找到海床比較平坦、深度足夠的地方，接着在兩邊固定浮橋，讓浮橋變得安全，不會在風浪中劇烈的晃動；當被困居民上橋的時候，派同事在兩邊攙扶，幫助居民登上快艇。至於輪椅人士，消防員要合力抬起他們，才能確保他們安全撤離。

登上快艇，並非是全部救援行動的最後一步。在居民登上快艇之後，還要將他們再運到大型的滅火輪之上，才算走完撤離「最後一公里」。詹德峰提到，在風浪中，快艇和滅火輪之間不斷有上落的高低差，讓救援難度陡增。「老人和小孩登船的時候，一定要等一個時機，就是浪變小的時候。要將兩艘船綁得很緊，令兩艘船在同一個高低水平面。」

暴雨不僅考驗了香港這座城市的韌性，更見證了無數平凡英雄的光輝時刻。在陌生的海域中，詹德峰依靠團隊的力量，克服了重重困難。「事發的時候，我調到海務及潛水區只有半年的時間，對海防和船隻的一些情況不是很熟悉。很幸運的是，船上有很多有經驗的消防員，他們為我提供了很多協助。」只要團結一心，就沒有克服不了的難關。

無情的天災之下，人性的光輝永遠不會熄滅，溫情長明。在救援未至時，被困的居民沒有放棄希望，他們用自己的方式參與到了救援行動中來，「浮橋未來到之前，石澳居民會用自己的小艇幫手，運送被困居民到滅火輪之上」，伍頌然提到，在浮橋靠岸的時候只有10個消防員在沙灘上，居民會主動幫忙，用繩拉浮橋到岸邊。「大家都很關心消防員，主動給我們小食充饑。」

一個個看似微不足道的舉動，匯聚成了一股強大的力量，支撐着整個救援行動。袁家偉說，在浮橋搭好之後，全部岸上的居民都報以掌聲作為鼓勵，每一位上船和使用浮橋的居民都會說一聲「多謝」。

詹德峰分享了一個故事。消防隊的滅火輪上有一塊白板，當日救援行動結束離開之前，見到白板上寫着「石澳村居民多謝你哋消防員」。這不僅僅是對消防員辛勤付出的認可，更是深深連接居民與守護者之間情感紐帶的見證。「雖然是簡單的幾個字，但我現在還記得那種感覺。」

在行動前，網上有聲音認為沒有撤離的必要。「但當和居民溝通的時候，發現有人要返學、返工，有人預約了去醫院覆診等」，詹德峰慨嘆，今時今日，消防員除了拯救生命之外，要行多一步。「為市民想多一點，想想他們的實際所需。要設身處地站在市民的角度想問題，換位思考。」

「熱情很重要」， 伍頌然說，消防員的工作時間很長，熱情可以讓我們在長時間的工作中維持應有的體能，發揮精益求精的精神。「這次石澳行動中感受到市民的熱情，讓我們更好的守護這個地方。」

Firefighters Defy Waves, Build Bridge to Save Villagers

【譯文】On 7 September 2023, the "rainstorm of the century" hit Hong Kong; in the early hours of 8 September, the road at Shek O Road collapsed; in the night of 8 September, the SAR Government convened an inter-departmental meeting, and the Fire Services Department suggested evacuating the stranded residents by water and land; on 9 September, the operation began.

Over 1,000 villagers from three villages were cut off from electricity, water, and communication and isolated for nearly 72 hours. As the rainstorm raged on, Senior Fireman Chim Tak-fung, Senior Fireman Ng Chung-yin, and Station Officer Yuen Ka-wai led a group of "Thunderbolt Rescuers" of the Fire Services Department, who, with their bravery and wisdom, wrote a saga of responsibility, love, and hope.

Shek O Road was closed entirely, and with no hope of evacuation by land, the pontoon bridge became the only hope. Every detail on the pontoon was full of dangers and challenges: how to fix it to ensure its stability? How to safely transfer the stranded villagers? All these problems tested the wisdom and courage of the fire brigade.

"Shek O has no berthing facilities, and the fireboat could not dock. So the only option was to build pontoons to help the residents board and leave," explained Ng Chung-yin. However, the lousy weather and unknown risks made the rescue operation uncertain.

However, the firefighters demonstrated incredible perseverance and teamwork in the face of such adversity. When the pontoon reached Shek O, frogmen were first sent to find a place where the seabed was relatively flat and deep enough and then to fix the pontoon on both sides so that it would be safe and would not sway violently in the wind and waves; when the trapped residents boarded the pontoon, they sent their colleagues to help them board the speedboat by giving them a helping hand on both sides. As for the wheelchair-bound residents, the firefighters had to work together to lift them up to ensure their safe evacuation.

Boarding the speedboat was not the last step of the rescue operation. After the residents had boarded the speedboat, they had to be transported to a large fireboat to complete the "last kilometre" of the evacuation. Chim Tak-fung said that in the stormy sea, there was a constant difference in height between the speedboat and the fireboat, which made the rescue more difficult. "When the elderly and children boarded the boat, they had to wait until the waves became smaller. We must tie up the two boats very tightly so they are at the same level".

The rainstorm not only tested the resilience of the city of Hong Kong but also witnessed the glorious moments of countless ordinary heroes. In unfamiliar waters, Chim relied on the strength of his team to overcome many difficulties. "When the incident happened, I had only been transferred to the Marine and Diving Region for six months and was not very familiar with sea defences and the conditions of vessels. Luckily, many experienced firemen were on board, and they provided me with a lot of assistance. As long as we are united, there is no insurmountable difficulty."

Under the merciless natural disasters, the light of humanity will never be extinguished, and warmth will always shine. Before the rescue arrived, the stranded residents did not give up hope; they participated in the rescue operation in their own way. "Before the pontoon arrived, the Shek O residents would use their dinghies to help transport the stranded residents to the top of the fireboat," Ng Chung-yin said. When the pontoon docked, there were only ten firefighters on the beach, and the residents would take the initiative to help by pulling the pontoon with a rope to the shore. "They were so concerned about the firefighters that they offered to give us snacks to fill our stomachs."

These seemingly insignificant actions have become a powerful force that has supported the entire rescue operation," Yuen said. Yuen said that after the pontoon was set up, all the residents on the shore applauded as encouragement, and every resident who boarded the boat and used the pontoon would say, "Thank you."

Chim shared a story. The fire brigade's fireboat had a whiteboard on it. Before leaving the boat at the end of the rescue operation that day, the whiteboard read, "Thank you, firemen, from Shek O Village." This was a recognition of the firefighters' hard work and a testimony of the emotional bond that profoundly connects the residents and the guardians. "Although it is just a few simple words, I still remember that feeling."

Before the operation, there were voices on the Internet that said there was no need to evacuate the building. "But when we communicated with the residents, we found out that some people had to go back to school or work, and some people had appointments to go to the hospital for follow-up appointments," Mr Chim lamented, adding that nowadays firefighters have to take one more step apart from saving lives. He said, "Think more for the public and consider their practical needs. We have to put ourselves in the public's shoes and think differently."

"Passion is essential," said Ng. "Firefighters work long hours, and passion can help us maintain our physical fitness and strive for excellence in our long work hours. The people's passion in this operation in Shek O has enabled us to guard this place better." ● 琬琰