FRIDAY, JU 21, 1974
FIRE PROBLEM BLAMED ON CARELESSNESS AND COMPLACENCY
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COMPLACENCY AND CARELESSNESS ARE THE BASIS OF THE FIRE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG, ACCORDING TO MR. HARRY JOOD, DIRECTJA OF FIRE SERVICES.
ADDRESSING THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON NORTH, MR. WOOD SAID: THE BASIS OF THE FIRE PROBLEM IN HONG KONG IS TO THINGS: COMPLACENCY INDUCED BY A FEELING THAT IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME' AND CARELESSNESS.+
THE DIRECTOR VO.DERED WHAT THE POPULATION HAD TO BE COMPLACENT ABOUT WHEN THE NUMBER OF FIRES WAS INCREASING. +HOWEVER, THEY ARE UNDOUBTEDLY COMPLACENT AND THERE ARE A HUNDRED AND ONE MANIFESTATIONS OF IT.+ THESE INCLUDED KEROSENE FIRES LEFT UNGUARDED, ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES LEFT ON DURING ABSENCES, MATCHES LEFT LYING AROUND TO ATTRACT THE ATTENTION OF YOUNGSTERS, ELECTRICAL POINTS BEING HEAVILY OVERLOADED, DANGEROUS GOODS BEING HANDLED WITH NONCHALANCE AND PORTABLE COOKING STOVES IN UNSECURE POSITIONS.
MR. WOOD SAID COMPLACENCY LED TO FIRE BEING REGARDED TOO EASILY AS SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS, UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE. +1 AM AFRAID THAT IT APPEARS JUST TOO MUCH OF A BOTHER FOR MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE TO PAY VERY MUCH ATTENTION TO FIRE PREVENTION, ALTHOUGH SOME MEASURES ARE BASIC IN MY OPINION, BEARING IN MIND THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF MANY OF THE PEOPLEST
+IT WOULD SOON OPEN PEOPLE'S EYES IF THEY COULD SPEND A WEEK IN A FIRE STATION AND SEE SOME OF THE TRAGEDIES MY MEN HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL, TOO FREQUENTLY. THEY WOULD QUICKLY COME TO SEE THE FOOLHARDINESS OF NOT TAKING PROPER PRECAUTIONS.+
QUOTING 106 DEATHS AND 3,801 INJURIES DURING THE LAST TWO FINANCIAL YEARS, MR. WOOD SAID: +GIVEN THESE FIGURES, IT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY SO MANY PEOPLE'S PHILOSOPHY IN HONG KONG IS: 'FIRE COULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ME'. THE FACTS QUITE CLEARLY SHOW THE CONTRARY -- THAT THE ODDS OF BECOMING A FIRE VICTIM, AND SUFFERING AGONISING INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH, ARE SHORTENING EACH YEAR.+
MR. WOOD REVEALED THAT, FROM 1972 TO 1974, THERE WERE 223,000 FIRE AND ANBULANCE CALLS, 20 PER CENT UP ON THE FIGURE FOR THE PREVIOUS TUJ YEARS. THIS LEVEL OF INCREASE WAS REGARDED AS +NORMAL+ BY THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE. FOR EVERY TWO FIKES IN 1968/70, THERE WERE THREE IN 1972/74.
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AIE SAID
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