PUBLIC ORDER
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Remedial action was immediately taken and no further incident occurred during the year.
The Tai Lam Centre for Women accommodates remand and convicted women prisoners and also houses a training centre for young women offenders between the ages of 14 and 21, and a treatment centre for female drug dependents.
In the early part of the year a regrading exercise commenced whereby the old rank of warder will be phased out and replaced by a new rank of assistant officer having higher entry qualifications. However, because of the difficulty of meeting staff requirements many institutions have operated with less than the approved establishment.
For the first time in the history of the Prisons Department, a prison industries exhibition was held at the City Hall from June 3-9. The main theme of the exhibition was prison industries, but it also included an historical section and a comprehensive pictorial display showing the present day activities of the department.
FIRE SERVICES
It is an unfortunate fact that each year in Hong Kong the number of emergency calls or fire assistance calls increases. Despite the slight increase in calls in 1970 there was a drop of some-40 per cent in the total monetary loss resulting directly from fire. For 1971, however, there could be no satisfaction. An all time record of 95,495 calls were dealt with by the Fire Services Department resulting in the loss of 102 lives, while another 521 were injured; 1,434 people were physically rescued from perilous situations by firemen and many hundreds more led to safety. Between 1965–70, the average yearly monetary loss from fire was $18.7 million. This year the figure rose dramatically to about $54 million. The increase was mainly due to the serious fire involving a major construction site at Ap Lei Chau in January, the Jumbo floating restaurant fire at Aberdeen in October while the restaurant was under construc- tion, and the number of large factory fires throughout the year.
In the constant struggle to prevent fires, the Fire Prevention Bureau's staff of 120 officers this year carried out a total of 242,167 inspections of all types of premises. One of the main targets was the abatement of fire hazards created by factories in domestic premises. Action was taken throughout the latter part of the year and the success of the operation could not be gauged till early 1972.