EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: FIRE SERVICES

UNCLAS HONG KONG 000041 SIPDIS USDOC FOR 532/OEA/LHINES/DFARROW USDOC FOR 3132 FOR FCS/OIO REGIONAL DIRECTOR WILLIAM ZARIT BICE FOR OFFICE OF STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BMGT BEXP HK ETRD ETTC SUBJECT: EXTRANCHECK: POST-SHIPMENT VERIFICATION: FIRE SERVICES DEPT. OF HONG KONG REF: A) USDOC 09994 B) D349824 ¶1. Unauthorized disclosure of the information provided below is prohibited by Section 12C of the Export Administration Act. ¶2. As per reftel A request and at the direction of the Office of Enforcement Analysis (OEA) of the USDOC Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS),Export Control Officer Philip Ankel (ECO) conducted a post-shipment verification at the Fire Services Department of Hong Kong, No. 1, Hong Chong Road, Tsim Sha Tsui East, Kowloon, Hong Kong (HK Fire Services). The items in question are twelve thermal imagers exported to HK Fire Services on or about November 4, 2006 and valued at approximately USD 86,000. The imagers are the subject of export license D349824 and are classified under Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) 6A003. This ECCN is controlled for national security (NS) and nuclear nonproliferation (NP) reasons. The exporter was ISG Thermal Systems USA of Lawrenceville, Georgia. ¶3. The HK Fire Services are the fire department of Hong Kong with a staff of over 9,000 located throughout Hong Kong. More information is available at www.hkfsd.gov.hk. ¶4. Mr. Kei-Wai Tai, Assistant Divisional Officer, Planning Group, HK Fire Services, provided ECO with documentation confirming receipt of the twelve thermal imagers with serial numbers 7366 to 7377. Mr. Tai also provided ECO with a breakdown of the location of the twelve units (by serial number and location). The units are located at various fire stations throughout the Hong Kong S.A.R. ¶5. Visits were arranged at the ECO's request to two of the fire stations, namely the Sai Kung Fire Station and the Chung Hom Kok Fire Station. On January 4, 2008, the ECO, accompanied by Commercial Assistant Carrie Chan, met with Mr. Tai and representatives of the fire station command at the Sai Kung Fire Station. Sai Kung fire station personnel removed the imager from a locked case on a fire engine for inspection by the ECO. The serial number on that imager matched the serial number on the listing provided by Mr. Tai described in paragraph four, above. This imager is used exclusively by this fire station as part of its fire-fighting mission and is kept under lock and key at all times (when not in use). ¶6. Later on January 4, 2008, ECO met with Senior Fireman Chun Pu Yip of the Chung Hom Kok fire station. Mr. Yip removed a thermal imager with serial number 7366 from a locked compartment on one of the station's fire engines. He confirmed that the imager is only used by this fire station and is kept under lock and key at all times (when not in use). Cunningham