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PUBLIC ORDER
Fire Prevention Bureau Because of increasing industrial sophistication and rising living standards, fire protec- tion duties and disciplines must advance and expand to keep pace with the quest for new materials, processes and building trends.
In 1977, the Fire Prevention Bureau's workload increased substantially. Fire prevention lectures, exhibitions and campaigns, mounted in conjunction with kai fongs and government departments, concentrated on life hazards created by obstruc- tions on escape routes inside buildings.
Some 4,848 complaints were received from members of the public by letter, telephone and personal visits to fire stations. Most concerned obstructions, indicating the public's growing awareness of potential fire hazards and its willingness to report them.
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The bureau carried out 269,006 inspections in schools, factories, places of public entertainment, restaurants, child-care centres and many other types of premises during 1977. The total represented a 8.7 per cent increase over the number of inspec- tions made in 1976. The bureau vetted an average of 683 building plans a month, compared with 628 in 1976, and there are indications that the number will increase steadily.
Fire officers served 10,852 Fire Hazard Abatement Notices on people contravening fire services regulations and took out 3,404 prosecutions against those who failed to comply with such notices. Fines totalling $1,313,060 were subsequently imposed.
In-service courses for bureau staff were held at all levels. Training also was given to officers of other government departments, factory workers, hospital staff and groups from firms employing security staff.
Ambulance Command
The Ambulance Command has been subjected to a continually increasing workload and the pressure is expected to increase further, particularly as more people overcome their reluctance to use an ambulance.
During 1977, the command answered 160,562 calls, of which 138,000 were emer- gencies. A total of 204,609 patients was carried.
Although incidents involving more than one casualty continued to strain am- bulance resources, the command met these demands with a minimum of delay. About 10 per cent of the incidents were traffic accidents. At one major fire as many as 100 casualties requiring treatment and transportation were encountered, but multiple casualty incidents were less frequent.
The command has a strength of 850 all ranks and operates a fleet of 99 ambulances. Some 20 ambulances of an improved type are expected to be delivered by mid-1978. A new ambulance depot was commissioned at Lei Muk Shue towards the end of the year with an establishment of six ambulances and crews. This depot serves the ex- panding Tsuen Wan - Kwai Chung district and is expected to handle more than 1,800 calls a month.
In-service and external training commitments and requirements continued to absorb considerable time and effort. Ambulance personnel were attached to hospitals for practical training in casualty treatment and other medical work that could not be provided within the department.