THE ARMED SERVICES AND AUXILIARY SERVICES
Auxiliary Medical Service
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The Auxiliary Medical Service, which was founded in 1950, has a membership of 5,500 volunteers. They include doctors, nurses and other paramedical professionals but the majority are laymen. The Director of Medical and Health Services is the unit controller of the service.
In the event of an emergency, the Auxiliary Medical Service may be mobilised to augment the Medical and Health Services and the ambulance service. Members assist in treating victims on the spot, conveying casualties to hospitals, and manning dressing stations, casualty wards and convalescent units which may be established to cope with the emergency situation.
The Auxiliary Medical Service provides assistance at medical centres, methadone treat- ment clinics, inoculation posts, hospital wards and casualty departments. Members qualified in life-saving reinforce the Urban Services Department's life-guard service at public beaches and swimming pools during the summer months.
The service's permanent staff members undertake the training of government officers in first aid.
With the influx of Vietnamese refugees into Hong Kong, the Auxiliary Medical Service provided a variety of medical and health services. An ambulance service was established for sick refugees awaiting clearance on board the vessels in which they arrived and for those in refugee camps.
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