PUBLIC ORDER
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Members of the volunteer service are trained to perform emergency duties during typhoons, landslips and flooding; to search for and rescue people in distress in the mountains; to help evacuate or rescue victims trapped under collapsed buildings or buried in landslides; to combat forest fires and oil pollution at sea; to carry out crowd control duties and to provide communication services at charity functions and government events.
The CAS provides full-time and part-time training to its members, covering counter-disaster skills, hill fire-fighting, anti-oil pollution, mountain search and rescue, flood rescue, radiological protection, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and conventional rescue instruction. In 2000, the CAS conducted 185 full-time courses and 159 part-time courses. With a view to enhancing the standard of performance, the CAS continued to send personnel, both permanent staff and volunteers, overseas for mountain rescue and disaster management training.
To help promote public awareness of mountain safety, the CAS conducted training courses on mountain and hiking safety for organised groups, school teachers and hiking group leaders. It also organised mountain rescue training for members of the emergency services and working-at-height training for staff of government departments. During the year, 70 mountain rescue and hiking safety courses and three working-at-height training sessions were organised.
The CAS endeavours to develop leadership potential and cultivate civic awareness among young people by recruiting boys and girls in the 12 to 16 age group for the Cadet Corps under the CAS Youth Wing. Apart from participating in recreational activities, cadets are trained in a wide variety of disciplines and skills including foot drill, light rescue, basic mechanical and electrical knowledge, printing, canoe-building and fibreglass moulding. They also receive training in crowd control, rock climbing and expeditions. Those aged over 14 years are encouraged to take part in rural area patrolling, crowd control and community services.
Government Flying Service
The Government Flying Service (GFS) is a disciplined service providing flying support to government departments and agencies. It also directly supports the community by offering a 24-hour air ambulance and Search and Rescue service.
The GFS operates a fleet of 11 aircraft: six Sikorsky S-76 and three S-70 (Black Hawk) helicopters, as well as two Jetstream J-41 aeroplanes. Eight new helicopters are being procured to replace the existing fleet to further enhance the service's capabilities. The new aircraft will be delivered in phases commencing from September 2001. During the year, the GFS flew a total of 7 091 hours in support of its clients and in training for the complex roles undertaken. The organisation is staffed by 182 disciplined and 63 general grades personnel. The GFS is based at the Hong Kong International Airport where it carries out all of its maintenance work.
The GFS undertakes a wide variety of roles which include supporting the Police Force in law enforcement duties, assisting the Fire Services Department by water- bombing hill fires with under-slung fire buckets, and assisting the Lands Department in aerial mapping and survey. In 2000, the GFS transported 1 299 patients to hospital by helicopter, assisted in 217 Search and Rescue operations and flew 14 413 passengers, i.e. government officers and official visitors, in the course of their duties or programmes.