What’s as important as your visa for travel? I’d say some important useful information for your planning and also during your travel, so that you can readily refer to it if and as necessary. To share with you today is a handy apps for your mobile phone – Safeguard HK. Yes, it’s developed by the Security Bureau of Hong Kong Government with HK travellers specifically in mind (whether you are travelling overseas or hiking in Hong Kong), but there are information which can be of use to all.
This Safeguard HK app contains information crucial to your trip and might save someone’s life. E.g.
- SOS Tools – it gives your exact GPS location for a click sending for help when required,
- tells you where are the closest emergency stations (in Hong Kong),
- blows SOS whistle or flashes SOS signal for you,
- basic life-saving First aid information,
- simple off the menu clicks to advise of your situation, safety or otherwise (calling for help if needed),
- For Planning – the up to date OTA (Outbound Travel Alerts) – which countries are under yellow, red or black alerts and personal safety advice while there, also other relevant information on non-OTA countries,
- also links to similar advice alerts issued by the Australian, Canadian and UK Government,
- Links to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China, etc
- Also some helpful travel phrases (which can be spoken from the phone) of a dozen foreign languages!
- Real time (refresh it at the upper RH corner) arrival and departure waiting times at all HK Land Boundary Control Points.
Download (iPhone and Android version), and and install it now and have a peace of mind while you travel! There are a couple less useful icons there (for jobs, news, etc) which you can ignore.
This App is so useful, but I do have one addition I would like to add- that is the Global Emergency CHINA Consultate Helpline which Chinese can use anywhere in the world to get prompt assistance in emergency situation (+86 10 12308). Note that to provide timely and professional guidance and assistance to Chinese citizens in distress overseas, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (MFA) has set up the Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services since 2 September 2014 and launched a 24-hour hotline (telephone number: +86 10 12308).
The MFA emergency call center will, according to the actual situation and needs, refer assistance requests from Hong Kong residents to the Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit of the Immigration Department for follow-up. For detailed information, please refer to the MFA website: www.fmprc.gov.cn.
You can also learn more about consular protection, services provided and assistance available, emergency handling, and contact details for Chinese diplomatic and consular missions overseas from the following website:
http://www.immd.gov.hk/eng/services/Assistance_Outside_Hong_Kong.html#c
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