Demand rises for high-quality building managers

Rule enforcement

Though arson was recorded as the cause of the fire in Hangzhou, which took firefighters two hours to bring under control, an official investigation found that firefighting facilities at the property did not meet standards. The inquiry also identified failures on the part of the property's managers.

Moreover, according to Tong, basic measures such as enforcing daily inspection patrols and the correct training of fire-monitoring personnel had not been carried out.

The fire sent a tremor through China's emerging middle class and prompted concerns about the quality of building management.

Tong believes the experience gained by property managers in Hong Kong may provide a solution because the city follows internationally accepted standards and procedures on everything from staff training to enforcement and monitoring protocols.

Eddie Hui Chi-man, associate head of the Department of Building and Real Estate at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, agreed with Tong. He noted that more than 70 percent of the population lives in high-rise apartment blocks, and the city has a relatively long history of commercial property management. As a result "Hong Kong has performed well and accumulated a lot of expertise", he said.

Tong has applied some of the practices used in Hong Kong to his mainland company, China Resources Land Ltd in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. One of his priorities is the adoption of emergency procedures in the event of fire.

As general property manager, he insists that all staff members follow the procedures strictly.

Employees are required to know the exact location of fire extinguishers and how they work. They must also be fully aware of the procedures for orderly evacuation and how to check the list of occupants to ensure that no one has been left in the building.

Property management personnel also work around the clock in shifts.

Every month, Tong conducts surprise fire drills as a form of internal training to ensure that duty staff members know what to do in the event of fire.

He believes that unscheduled fire drills are an effective preparation for staff members, arguing that planned drills are more for "show". He holds the drills in the early morning because that's when most people are asleep, a factor that inevitably contributes to higher casualty numbers when fire breaks out.

In addition, Tong has visited the locations of many fires in Hong Kong.

"It's really about saving lives by making the correct, timely responses before the first firefighters arrive on the scene," he said.