HKSAR rescue team awarded inaugural Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance

HONG KONG, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Tuesday that the HKSAR search and rescue team was awarded the inaugural Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance.

John Lee, chief executive of the HKSAR, announced the launch of the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance in the 2022 Policy Address to give recognition to meritorious and exemplary teams or individuals in the civil service on a regular basis, with a view to encouraging civil servants to constantly strive for excellence. It also aimed to allow the public to have a better understanding of the HKSAR government's work and the excellence of the civil service.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Türkiye in February, killing more than 50,000 people. The HKSAR government immediately deployed the HKSAR search and rescue team to carry out search and rescue operations in quake-stricken areas in Türkiye. The 59-strong team went to the quake-stricken areas in southern Türkiye and rescued four people and recovered six bodies under the debris.

Lee said that the team members risked their own lives to accomplish an extremely challenging mission. They carried out the search and rescue work with a strong passion for life and great professionalism, and the operation demonstrated good cross-departmental teamwork.

The team has truly lived up to the very spirit meant to be commended by the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance, Lee said, believing that the Hong Kong community would join him in paying tribute to the search and rescue team members.

Ingrid Yeung, secretary for the civil service of the HKSAR government, extended heartfelt congratulations to the HKSAR search and rescue team for being awarded the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance.

She said the team worked in unity to overcome all the difficulties in the quake-stricken areas in Türkiye and rescued four people. They have demonstrated the glory of humanity and the spirit of commitment that civil servants should uphold. The work of the team has told the world an inspiring and touching story of Hong Kong civil servants.

Leading the search and rescue team, Yiu Men-yeung, deputy chief fire officer of the Fire Services Department of the HKSAR government, was very pleased that the team was awarded the first Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance. He expressed gratitude to the HKSAR government for affirming the team's efforts in the rescue operation in Türkiye, as well as to the national search and rescue team for all the assistance provided.

Yeung said the team will continue to be dedicated to their duties in different positions, and give their best to serve the country, the HKSAR government and Hong Kong residents.

The award presentation ceremony for the Chief Executive's Award for Exemplary Performance will be held in mid-July.