PUBLIC ORDER
the year. Moreover, a total of 3 742 in-service members attended the continuation training courses organised by the school.
Apart from providing basic initial training for recruits, the school has provided courses for 636 staff of other government departments and private organisations on basic fire-fighting techniques and the use of breathing apparatus. Besides this, 7 344 members of the public have visited the school.
The Ambulance Command Training School provides a 26-week basic training programme for recruit ambulancemen on ambulance aid, anatomy and physiology, mountain rescue and physical training; cardiac-pulmonary resuscitation training for the staff of homes for the elderly, schools, community organisations and other government departments; and paramedic training at Emergency Medical Assistant (EMA) II level to ambulance personnel. Paramedic training covers patient assessment, intravenous fluid therapy, defibrillation, intubation and administration of selected drugs. By year-end, 509 ambulance personnel had been qualified at EMA II level. To cope with the increase in demand for emergency ambulance services, the school trained 132 new recruits and ran 72 refresher and re-certification courses for 806 ambulance personnel during the year.
In-service training was provided to 3 742 fire and 2 357 ambulance personnel, while 50 officers were selected to attend various training programmes in the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, Finland and the Mainland. The department recruited and appointed 36 Station Officers, 16 Ambulance Officers, 148 Firemen/Firewomen and 95 Ambulancemen/ Ambulancewomen during the year.
Buildings and Quarters
In line with the Government's policy to provide an emergency response to all areas within minimum set 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 development.
During the year, the Ma Wan Fire Station and the Tai Chik Sha Fire Station cum Ambulance Depot were commissioned. Lau Fau Shan Fire Station cum Ambulance Depot, Sha Tau Kok Fire Station with Ambulance Facilities and Braemar Hill Fire Station cum Ambulance Depot were under construction and scheduled for completion between 2003 and 2004.
Public Liaison Group
The Public Liaison Group was set up to encourage public participation in monitoring and improving the delivery of emergency fire and ambulance services. Thirty members of the public from all walks of life were randomly selected from among 125 applicants in 2002 to form the group's ninth-term membership.
Correctional Services
The Correctional Services Department (CSD) administers a wide range of services for adult and young offenders, drug addicts and offenders with psychiatric problems. The services fall broadly under two programme areas: prison management and reintegration of offenders into society.
In 2002, the CSD managed 24 correctional institutions, four halfway houses, a reception centre for Vietnamese illegal migrants and two custodial wards in public
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