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LAW, Order and reCORDS
The continued growth of the Colony with its associated fire fighting problems has been anticipated by the planned development and disposal of resources which should be completed early in 1970. A total of 26 strategically sited fire stations will be established to maintain a six-minute time response to all incidents in the urban areas. Twenty-two of these stations will be multi-storey buildings occupying a minimum site area, and housing two major fire appli- ances with accommodation for approximately 55 Fire Services families. These satellite stations will be located between existing major fire stations which will provide training and relief facilities.
The Fire Prevention Bureau is constituted as one of the three major commands of the Fire Services. Each year it conducts some 15,000 building inspections and advises on approximately 1,500 plans for new building schemes. The Fire Services in general and the Fire Prevention Bureau in particular, is responsible for the administration of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance, the Fire Hazards Abatement Ordinance, the storage of timber and, through the Police, Labour and Education departments, for the fire security in places of public assembly, factories and industrial undertakings, and schools respectively. The Dangerous Goods Ordinance covers some 364 different types of dangerous commodities (excluding ex- plosives) and involves the annual licensing of about 6,000 premises. The Fire Prevention Bureau has also conducted more than 30 fire prevention courses and lectures for people from all walks of life as well as a series for industrial supervisors sponsored by the Feder- ation of Hong Kong Industries and conducted jointly with the Labour Department. Officers of the Fire Prevention Bureau serve as lecturers at the Hong Kong University Architectural Faculty and at the Hong Kong Technical College for building students.
The Colony's Ambulance Service is maintained by the Fire Services. No charges are made for the use of an ambulance in an emergency, but a nominal charge is made for the removal of non- urgent cases.
The Fire Boat Fleet is used not only for marine fires, but in fighting land fires involving waterfront warehouses, or for supplying water to land based appliances for inland fires. The Fire Boat Fleet consists of the Alexander Grantham, an ocean-going vessel of 503 tons, Fire Boat No 2 which is a vessel of 112 tons and two