To continuously step up the work arrangements for summer safety and disaster prevention, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) collaborated with the Fire Services Bureau on 16 July to promote fire prevention and the safe use of electricity at the hawker zones in Iao Hon, reinforcing fire prevention and electrical safety awareness among hawkers and stall vendors and strengthening their fire readiness capabilities and emergency response capabilities in case of fire.

IAM and the Fire Services Bureau pay constant attention to the use of electricity and fire safety at the hawker zones and proactively enhance the hawkers’ fire prevention awareness. During this joint promotional activity at the hawker zones in Iao Hon, personnel from the two departments explained the key points of fire prevention to the hawkers and stall vendors, and distributed safety guidelines on fire prevention and the safe use of electricity, in order to remind them about using electrical appliances correctly to prevent fire caused by circuit overloads, keeping fire evacuation routes clear, and turning off electrical appliances before leaving the stalls or closing for the day. Electrical appliances or wires showing signs of aging or damage should not be used and should be repaired or changed by qualified technicians.   

In close collaboration with the Fire Services Bureau, IAM has stepped up regular fire and electrical safety inspections at hawker stalls to minimalise fire hazards. The frequency of inspections in older areas with aging infrastructure has been increased to improve the overall safety conditions in those environments. IAM will also carry out comprehensive inspections regarding the safe use of electrical appliances across all hawker zones in Macao. Furthermore, a fire evacuation drill will be conducted at the hawker zone in Rua de Fernão Mendes Pinto with the Fire Services Bureau, Associação de Auxílio Mútuo de Vendilhões de Macau, and hawker representatives, to collectively strengthen emergency response capabilities.