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THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES
Operational duties performed by members are varied and include crowd control, first aid and casualty handling, light and heavy rescue, including mountain rescue, search and rescue for hikers lost in the mountains, provision of a comprehensive communication and despatch riding system.
They also include reconnaissance and reporting of incidents, manning typhoon shelters, assisting in registration and feeding of the homeless, assisting to keep public utilities and essential services-trams, buses, docks, warehouses, electrical and gas companies-functioning.
Besides emergency operational roles, members are being used more and more by government departments in various campaigns, such as the Fight Violent Crime Campaign, the Keep Hong Kong Clean Campaign, the Anti-Narcotics Campaign, as well as at social and recreational events, such as the Festival of Hong Kong, when the entire Civil Aid Services is fully mobilised.
The Civil Aid Services Cadet Corps has a total of 20 units, each 100 strong. The corps aims to train boys in citizenship, the basic skills as practised in the adult service, such as first aid and rescue work, and to develop in them a sense of civic responsibility. Training is carried out in the areas in which the youths live as well as at fixed camping sites in the New Territories, where they undergo a varied pro- gramme of outdoor activities—such as camping, canoeing, trekking, orienteering, life-saving and mountaineering.
As a result of the introduction of new conditions of service for members of the Auxiliary Fire Services, the total strength is now 199 all ranks. Training programmes have been improved and the level of attendance has risen.
All Auxiliary Fire Services personnel respond automatically to No. 3 Alarm fires or above, should such fires break out while they are under training on Service premises. Voluntary attendance at major incidents is also encouraged.
Breathing apparatus training for auxiliaries, which is now an essential part of a fireman's duties, has also been introduced at the Fire Service Training School. On qualifying, selected officers assume the role of instructors to train other Auxiliary Fire Services personnel. All Auxiliary Fire Services members will in future be required to qualify in wearing and maintenance of compressed air breathing apparatus.