THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES
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The corps' 68 units can be mobilised at times of civil disorder to help maintain public utilities and other essential services if the security of Hong Kong, or the welfare of the population, is endangered. Approximately half of the 11,000 corps personnel come from government departments and the rest from commercial organisations. Each unit is principally staffed by a restricted number of volunteers employed by the departments or organisations concerned.
On the call out of units, members of the corps undertake, under a disciplinary code, special obligations in return for which they are entitled to substantial benefits appropriate to the abnormal conditions of service. Comprehensive plans for the operation of each essential service in times of civil disorder are constantly under review and co-ordinated with the police and military. Units of the corps hold occasional exercises to practise their role. The headquarters of units also take part in joint telephone command and control exercises with the police and military.
The Auxiliary Medical Service, formed 23 years ago, has a volunteer member- ship of more than 6,000 including medical officers and professional officers, as well as lay members who are trained, for emergency purposes, as hospital auxiliary dressers and nurses. The remainder are trained in first aid, life saving, as ambulance members and in light rescue. A large proportion of members are under 25.
For practical and operational training, members are allocated at weekends and on public holidays for duty on Fire Services ambulances, hospital casualty depart- ments and at public beaches and swimming pools in support of regular staff.
During emergencies Auxiliary Medical Service officers and members are called out, as required, to augment regular staff in the Medical and Health Department, Fire Services ambulance division, Social Welfare Department, City District Offices and to provide first aid parties to assist the Civil Aid Services.
The Auxiliary Medical Service has teams in all parts of the urban areas, the New Territories and on the off-shore islands. There is always a long waiting list of volunteers wishing to join the service.
The Civil Aid Services celebrated its 21st anniversary this year. Originally, the service consisted mainly of officers and members of the extinct Corps of Air Raid Wardens who had served Hong Kong before and during World War II. The emphasis was then on civil defence training. From 1962 onwards, there has been a gradual transition from war-time to peace-time emergency training. The transition was completed by 1969 and now only senior permanent staff officers of the service are trained in civil defence measures.
The Civil Aid Services is a volunteer force comprising 4,000 adult male and female officers and members, and 2,000 cadets aged 14-18. The aim of the service is to train and maintain a multi-purpose force of disciplined, skilled and uniformed personnel to support regular services in rendering practical aid to the general public in any type of peace-time emergency or natural disaster. In the adult wing, officers and members are posted either to the warden service, rescue units, the command units, the pay and records unit or the stores sub-section according to their interest and ability.