PUBLIC ORDER
were purchased and occupied during the year and planning was in hand for the provision of about 1 400 additional married quarters for firemen and ambulancemen at selected sites.
Fire Prevention
The department is responsible for formulating and enforcing fire-safety regulations. It also advises and assists all sections of the community with regard to fire protection measures generally and in the abatement of fire hazards. Besides updating and reviewing existing fire-safety legislation and codes of practice, the Fire Protection Bureau plays an important role in educating the public on fire prevention. In addition to the annual publicity campaigns, a total of 388 lectures/talks were given during 1989 to a total audience of 11 770 from different sectors of the community. Furthermore, exhibitions and demonstra- tions were held during the year to further educate the public on fire-safety aspects. The 7 996 fire-hazard complaints received from members of the public indicated the level of public concern about fire hazards and a growing awareness of the services provided by the department. Direct prosecutions on obstruction to means of escape and indiscriminate blocking of fire exits in multi-storey buildings amounted to 305 convictions in 1989 with total fines of $0.9 million.
Fire Services personnel made 66 910 inspections of all types of premises and issued 6 703 abatement notices for the removal of fire hazards in 1989. There were 850 prose- cutions during the year for non-compliance with abatement notices and for summonses, resulting in fines amounting to about $2.5 million.
All new building plans are vetted by the department, which specifies the requirements for built-in fire protection and advises on related matters. Some 8 070 new building plans were processed during the year. The department is also responsible for carrying out research into matters associated with fire safety.
Ambulance Services
The Fire Services Department operates the government ambulance service with a strength of 2 043 in all ranks of uniformed staff, and 154 civilian employees. The service operates 235 ambulances and ambulance-aid motorcycles from 25 ambulance depots or stations throughout the territory and from many fire stations. During the year, 235 955 emergency calls and 192 004 non-emergency calls were handled, involving 536 300 people and representing an average of 1 173 calls every 24 hours. This was an increase of 1.5
per cent in the number of calls compared with the total for 1988. Facilities on ambulances are constantly reviewed and all ambulances are equipped with analgesic apparatus, piped oxygen, inflatable splints, special stretchers and incubator-carrying capability.
To provide swift and high-quality ambulance services to the public, an expansion programme to increase both the personnel and fleet by five per cent annually is well under way.
Appliances and Workshops
The department has some 700 modern operational appliances and vehicles fitted with up-to-date fire-fighting and rescue equipment to ensure that fast and efficient fire-fighting and rescue operations can be carried out. In 1989, some 120 new or replacement appliances and vehicles of various kinds were put into service. The nine mini-appliances purchased specially for outlying islands proved to be successful. The department is constantly evaluating new products from different parts of the world to see if they could be used in Hong Kong.
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