STAFF
10. The strength of the Brigade was increased by the addition of ten officers and 113 other ranks. The approved establishment of the Department on 31st March, 1958, was 768 officers and other ranks.
11. Four vacancies for officers from overseas were notified to the Crown Agents who were endeavouring to recruit trained and ex- perienced candidates. The vacancies for other ranks were filled by local recruits during the year under review and further recruitment was proceeding to fill the remaining vacancies.
12. Staff increases were approved to cope with the expansion of the Fire Brigade with its additional new fire stations and appliances.
APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT
13. All fire appliances and equipment are regularly tested, over- hauled and maintained in an efficient and good working order by the mechanical staff of the Fire Brigade in the Brigade's own Workshop.
14. Three Escape/Pump Appliances, one Land Rover replacement for No. 11 A.F.S. Appliance (damaged during the 1956 Kowloon riots), two motor cycles for the Auxiliary Fire Service, two Emergency Tender chassis for replacement, one set of G.E.C. fixed station radio equipment for the Control Centre, and ten sets of Resuscitation Units for ambulances were received from the United Kingdom and put into commission.
15. Three Escape/Pump and three Motor Pump Appliances for new Fire Stations, one set of mobile radio telephone for No. 6 Appliance, and two additional ambulance chassis have also been ordered.
16. The radio telephone network, consisting of three fixed main ground stations, thirteen mobile units and ten pack sets, was in full operation throughout the year. The system is of great advantage to the Fire Brigade when working at large fires, where no other means of communication is available.
FIRE BOATS
17. The Brigade has a fleet of three fire boats, consisting of the 'Alexander Grantham' and two smaller vessels, with which it was possible to cope with all fires that broke out on board ships in the harbour. The fire boats were also used for relaying water for fighting fire on land when difficulty arose from water restrictions. The fire
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