PUBLIC ORDER
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prosecutions for obstructing the means of escape in buildings resulted in 59 convictions, with fines totalling $280,010.
The newly enacted Fire Services (Amendment) Ordinance 2003 and its subsidiary Fire Services (Fire Hazard Abatement) Regulation enhance the regulatory framework in tackling new forms of fire hazards, such as those arising from illicit fuel activities and the improper conveyance or stowage of vehicle parts stained with fuel.
Appliances and Equipment
In 2003, the department operated 820 fire appliances and supporting vehicles fitted with up-to-date fire-fighting and rescue equipment. Fire appliances procured during the year included nine hydraulic platforms, eight major pumps, one rescue tender, one lighting tender, six light rescue units, four 37-metre turntable ladders, three hook-lift trucks, three workshop vans and one mobile casualty treatment centre. A new diving support vessel was commissioned in February to enhance the department's maritime search and rescue capability.
Training
The Fire Services Training School provides initial training courses for new recruits to the Station Officer and Fireman ranks. The training programme covers basic fire- fighting techniques, compartment fire behaviour training, operation of fire appliances and equipment, breathing apparatus, ambulance aid and physical training. Subjects covering fire protection, legislation, physics and science of combustion are included. Altogether, 154 recruits completed the initial training during the year. A total of 2 138 in-service members also attended continuation training courses.
Apart from providing basic initial training for recruits, the school also provided training courses for 497 staff of other government departments and private organisations on basic fire-fighting techniques and the use of breathing apparatus. The school also co-organised with the Labour Department and the Education and Manpower Bureau a Youth Pre-employment Training Programme and a Smart Teen Challenge Project, respectively. These programmes aim at providing discipline, leadership and fire prevention training to young people and secondary school students. During the year, a total of 102 young people and 2 026 students attended the
courses.
The Ambulance Command Training School provides a 26-week basic training programme for recruit ambulance officers and ambulancemen on ambulance aid, anatomy and physiology, mountain rescue and physical training; cardiac-pulmonary resuscitation training and refresher training for the staff of homes for the elderly, schools, community organisations and other government departments; advanced ambulance aid training and automated external defibrillator training for fire personnel; and paramedic training at Emergency Medical Assistant (EMA) II level for ambulance personnel. The school trained 63 new recruits and ran 12 EMA II recertification courses and 10 advanced airway management courses for 249 ambulance personnel during the year.
In-service training was provided to 5 983 fire and 3 247 ambulance personnel, while 31 officers were selected to attend various training programmes in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Germany and the Mainland.