Leave nothing to chance –

the Hong Kong Fire Department's new infection ambulance

What do most people think of when they hear ‘Hong Kong’? The breathtaking skyline? Culinary delights? Or perhaps film legends such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan? Our sales manager Dirk Henke naturally thinks first of an exciting vehicle project. Since 2021, we have been working with our colleagues at MAN Hong Kong, which resulted in WAS 2022 being awarded the contract to procure high-performance infection rescue vehicles for the Hong Kong Fire Services Department (HKFSD). The first vehicle was delivered in March 2024, and the second was dispatched shortly before Christmas. What makes this IRTW project so special is An above-average level of safety awareness and equipment that meets all requirements.

Maximum safety for transporting infected persons

At the beginning of the pandemic, Hong Kong pursued a zero-Covid strategy with strict quarantine rules, lockdowns and testing campaigns. As a result, the country was long considered a model for the successful containment of the coronavirus pandemic, before infection rates began to rise after all. ‘After the last global pneumonia pandemic, the demand for transport vehicles for infected persons in the healthcare system increased significantly. Achieving a high level of negative pressure and maintaining a consistently high negative pressure value throughout the entire journey is one of the most important requirements of the Hong Kong Fire Department,’ says King Kwong, Business Development Manager at MAN Truck & Bus Hong Kong Ltd, summarising the background. Hong Kong has learned from experience and is focusing on the safe transport and strict quarantine of infectious patients, among other things, for future risk scenarios. The new IRTW model makes both possible – without compromise. Whereas in Germany and most other countries a single negative pressure system is sufficient, the Hong Kong Fire Department attached great importance to having an additional system as a backup.