PUBLIC ORDER
appointment of 43 station officers, seven ambulance officers, 15 senior firemen and firewomen (control), and 285 firemen.
For the first time in its history, the department opened its recruitment of station officers to female applicants in April. The two qualified new recruits undertook their initial training at the Pat Heung Training School in October with their male counterparts.
Overseas Secondment
The professionalism of Hong Kong Fire Services personnel was again recognised internationally following the secondment, in September, of a local fire officer to the Fire Services College at Moreton-in-Marsh, United Kingdom, as an instructor in high-rise building fire methodology and ship fire-fighting techniques.
This was the first time a local fire officer had been seconded overseas as an instructor, as well as a first for the college in engaging a non-UK instructor. The secondment is for two years.
Buildings and Quarters
In line with government policy to provide an emergency response to all areas within target response times according to the category of risk, the department continued to plan and build fire stations and ambulance depots at strategic locations, to cope with local developments.
At the end of the year, there were 64 fire stations, 29 ambulance depots and stations, and five fire boat stations in the territory. Planning is in hand for the provision of 829 additional married quarters for firemen and ambulancemen.
Correctional Services
The Correctional Services Department administers a wide range of services for both adult and young offenders, drug addicts and the criminally insane, broadly under two programme areas -- prison management and re-integration. The department also manages detention centres for Vietnamese migrants and Ex-China Vietnamese Illegal Immigrants.
At the end of 1993, the department was managing 20 correctional institutions, three halfway houses, a staff training institute, an emergency support group, two custodial wards (one each at the Queen Mary Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital), and five detention centres for Vietnamese migrants. A total of 7 060 staff were looking after 10 869 inmates, 21 639 Vietnamese migrants, 930 Ex-China Vietnamese Illegal Immigrants, and 3 346 persons under supervision after discharge from custody.
During the year, the number of Vietnamese migrants continued to decrease as a consequence of the implementation of the Orderly Return Programme. The workload of the department in managing Vietnamese migrants, however, remained heavy. This was due to its taking over the management of two Voluntary Repatriation Departure Centres from the police, and the influx of the Ex-China Vietnamese Illegal Immigrants from late June to early August.
On April 1, the former Escort Unit was re-organised into the Emergency Support Group, and took over from the police escort duties in connection with remand cases in the magistracies. In addition to providing an escort service, the group is also responsible for providing back-up emergency support services to all institutions.
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