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distribution to the management bodies of commercial and industrial buildings and the public. Other publicity activities included broadcasts of fire safety messages on television and radio stations, fire station open days and fire prevention exhibitions. During the year, Fire Services personnel conducted 150 598 fire safety inspections of all types of premises and issued 16 116 fire hazard abatement notices requiring the removal of fire hazards. These helped to ensure that fire prevention measures met the required standards and enhanced public awareness of fire safety. There were 650 prosecutions in cases of non-compliance, with fines amounting to $2,000,010. Prosecutions for obstructing the means of escape in buildings resulted in 200 convictions, with fines totalling $744,240.
The Licensing and Control Command sets fire services requirements for new buildings to ensure proper protection for the public. Some 10 248 submissions of building plans were processed during the year. The command completed a review of the Dangerous Goods Ordinance and provisions regulating the conveyance of dangerous goods other than Categories 1, 2 and 5 by vehicles. Draft legislation was submitted to the Legislative Council in December.
A Fire Protection Information System will be introduced in August 2000. The system aims at enhancing the extraction of essential information for operational incidents; the preparation of statistics and reports for management and control; the on-line information sharing among all divisions of Licensing and Control and Fire Safety Commands, Regional Fire Command Headquarters and the Fire Services Communication Centre; and the response to requests for fire protection information.
Appliances and Equipment
The department operates 710 fire appliances and supporting vehicles fitted with up- to-date fire-fighting and rescue equipment. Equipment purchased during the year included five 52-metre turntable ladders, two first intervention vehicles, one bulk foam tender, eight hydraulic platforms, one reserve heavy pump, one lighting tender, two breathing apparatus tenders, one hose appliance and one emergency tender.
The department is building a high-performance fireboat and a diving support vessel. The new fireboat will replace the existing fireboat Alexander Grantham while the diving support vessel will be used to provide logistic support to divers engaged in rescue work. Two new diving speed boats were commissioned in July to enhance diving rescue operations.
Staff Training
The Fire Services Training School organises a 26-week initial training programme for new recruits. For recruit firemen, this covers basic fire-fighting techniques, operation of appliances and equipment, breathing apparatus, ambulance aid and physical training. Subjects such as fire protection, legislation, physics and the science of combustion are also included. Courses for recruit Station Officers also cover incident command-and-control elements.
Altogether 230 recruits, comprising 28 Station Officers and 202 firemen, successfully completed initial training during the year. Continuation training courses were also arranged for 35 in-service Probationary Station Officers.
Apart from providing initial basic training for the recruits, the training school conducted various training courses for 1 158 staff of other government departments