PUBLIC ORDER
service by introducing intubation skill, using more selected drugs and extending the service to ambulance aid motorcycles.
Communication
The Fire Services Communication Centre is responsible for mobilising all fire-fighting and ambulance resources, and receiving complaints about fire hazards and dangerous goods. It also acts as an emergency co-ordinator for other government departments and public utilities in major incidents.
The centre is equipped with a computerised mobilising system linked to all fire stations, ambulance depots and fireboat fire stations. A new Address Transmission System was commissioned in April. Under this system, a hard copy of the address of an incident is provided to the responding crew to help them reach the scene more effectively.
The department has commissioned a consultant to design a Third Generation Mobilising System for the communication centre. The new system will adopt an open design to allow for flexibility and convenience for further enhancement and upgrading to meet anticipated demand over the next 10 years.
Fire Prevention
The department formulates and enforces fire safety policies and regulations. It also helps and advises the public on fire protection measures and the abatement of fire hazards. The department places great emphasis on public education on fire prevention.
The Community Relations Division is responsible for enhancing the public's knowledge of fire safety and for co-ordinating with other government departments in stepping up fire prevention publicity in the community. In 1999, it helped to arrange 1 642 fire drills at various locations and gave 2 416 fire prevention talks to people from various sectors of the community.
The Commercial Buildings and Premises Division enforces the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance to upgrade the fire safety measures of specified commercial buildings and prescribed commercial premises. The Fire Safety Improvement Loan Scheme has been set up to provide financial assistance to those owners who are required under this ordinance to upgrade the fire safety measures of their buildings or premises.
A Building Improvement and Support Division was established in April to prepare new legislation to upgrade the fire safety standard of old private buildings (commercial/residential). It also takes enforcement action against fire safety irregularities in private buildings identified in a Hong Kong-wide survey conducted in 1998.
In order to enrol more members to assist in reporting fire hazards and disseminating fire prevention messages, the 'Fire Safety Ambassador' Scheme has been extended to nine other organisations, including the District Fire Safety Committees and major property management companies. At the end of 1999, a total of 10 023 people had been trained as Fire Safety Ambassadors.
A major fire prevention publicity event was launched in December. The Fire Safety Command produced 4 000 video tapes and 362 000 fire safety pamphlets for
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