SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1974
:
SUPPORT FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN PREVENTING FIRES IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS
THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, KR. FRED WATSON, TODAY URCED THE PUBLIC TO FULLY SUPPORT THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN BEGINNING NEXT MONTH - +ESPECIALLY IN VIEW OF THE WATER SITUATION.+
MR. WATSON SAID THE GROWING SHORTAGE OF WATER IN HONG KONG WAS ADDED REASON FOR EVERYONE DOING ALL THEY CAN TO PREVENT FIRE DURING THE PEAK FIRE PERIOD FROM OCTOBER TO THE END OF DECEMBER.
+EVERY GALLON OF WATER USED TO PUT OUT A FIRE IS A GALLON LESS FOR OTHER PURPOSES,+ MR. WATSON SAID. HE ALSO POINTED OUT THAT, DURING THE PERIOD WHEN VATER IS TURNED OFF, THERE WILL INEVITABLY BE SOME DELAY BEFORE IT CAN BE TURNED ON AGAIN IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE.
HE WARNED THAT THE FIRE DANGER THIS YEAR MIGHT BE GREATER THAN FOR MANY YEARS PAST BECAUSE OF THE DRIER THAN USUAL WEATHER CONDITIONS WE HAD EXPERIENCED. +UNLESS EVERY POSSIBLE PRECAUTION IS TAKEN BY THE PUBLIC. 1974 COULD TURN OUT TO BE ONE OF THE WORST YEARS FOR FIRE ON RECORD.+
MR. WATSON SAID, IRRESPECTIVE OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS, THE NUMBER OF FIRES HAD BEEN GOING UP YEAR BY YEAR. +FOR EVERY TWO FIRES IN 1968/70,+ HE POINTED OUT, THERE VERE THREE IN 1972/74.+ A REAL EFFORT HAD TO BE MADE BY THE PUBLIC TO HALT THIS TREND THEY MUST BECOME AWARE OF THE INCREASING DANGER FROM FIRE AND THE SIMPLE THINGS WHICH THEY COULD DO TO COMBAT IT.
THE ACTING DIRECTOR SAID CARELESSNESS WAS AT THE ROOT OF MOST FIRES AND HE CITED THE DISPOSAL OF LIGHTED CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES AS AN EXAMPLE.
+THIS ACTION ALONE ACCOUNTS FOR ADOUT 40 PER CENT OF OUR FIRES,+ MR. WATSON SAID. +IF PEOPLE WOULD TAKE THE TROUBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT CIGARETTE ENDS AND MATCHES ARE PROPERLY OUT BEFORE DISPOSING OF THEM, THERE WOULD BE 3,000 LESS FIRES IN HONG KONG EACH YEAR.+
MR. WATSON SAID ELECTRICAL FAULTS CAUSED A NUMBER OF MAJOR FIRES. MANY AROSE THROUGH MISUSE OF ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES OR FAILURE TO KEEP THEM PROPERLY MAINTAINED. IN INDUSTRY, WIRING AND CABLING WAS NOT ALWAYS CHECKED AS OFTEN AS IT SHOULD BE AND THIS WAS A PRINCIPAL CAUSE OF FIRES.
MR. WATSON SAID THE PUBLIC WERE NOT BEING ASKED TO DO IMPOSSIBLE OR DANGEROUS THINGS, AS MOST FIRE PREVENTION WAS A MATTER OF COMMON SENSE OR A LITTLE THOUGHT. +THE OBJECT OF THE CAMPAIGN IS TO ALERT PEOPLE TO THE GREATLY INCREASED FIRE DANGER DURING THE DRY WINTER MONTHS AND ENCOURACE THEM TO TAKE PREVENTION MEASURES. NOBODY IN HONG KONG CAN AFFORD TO ADOPT THE ATTITUDE THAT FIRE IS SOMEBODY ELSE'S BUSINESS. HORE PEOPLE ARE BEING AFFECTED BY FIRE EACH YEAR THROUGH THEIR OUN OR OTHERS' LACK OF CARE.+
/THE CAMPAIGN