WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1977
NUMBER OF FIRES THIS YEAR SHATTER RECORD
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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS RESPONDED TO ALMOST 10,000 FIRE CALLS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR - A FIGURE HIGHER THAN ANY PREVIOUS ANNUAL RECORD.
THE FIGURE ALSO SHOWS AN INCREASE OF ABOUT 20 PER CENT COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR.
THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY (WEDNESDAY) BY THE ASSISTANT CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, MR. JOHN MARCH, AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH THIS YEAR'S FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN.
ACCORDING TO MR. MARCH, THE FIRES SO FAR THIS YEAR HAD CLAIMED 44 LIVES AND INJURED OVER 650 PEOPLE.
+THE MAJORITY OF THESE DEATHS AND INJURIES WERE CAUSED BY FIRES IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES,+ HE SAID, CITING AS EXAMPLE THE RECENT TRAGIC FIRE IN ABERDEEN WHICH CLAIMED THE LIVES OF THREE CHILDREN.
IT IS IN THIS AREA, PARTICULARLY RESIDENTIAL PREMISES IN MULTI-STOREY BUILDINGS, THAT WE ARE CONCENTRATING OUR FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR, HE STRESSED.
THE THEME OF THE CAMPAIGN IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF THE FIRE HAZARDS ARISING SIMPLY THROUGH CARELESSNESS AND THOUGHTLESSNESS IN ORDINARY HOUSEHOLDS AND PUBLIC AREAS WITHIN BUILDINGS.
TO GET THE MESSAGE ACROSS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THE ASSISTANCE OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES COVERING OVER 2,000 MULTI-STOREY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG HAVE BEEN ENLISTED.
+ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES TO VISIT THEIR LOCAL FIRE STATIONS TO ENABLE THEM TO ESTABLISH DIRECT LIAISON, SEEK ADVICE AS NECESSARY AND ATTEND LECTURES ON BASIC HOME FIRE PREVENTION FROM FIRE OFFICERS,+ MR, MARCH SAID.
THEY ARE EXPECTED TO CONVEY THE FIRE PREVENTION MESSAGES TO RESIDENTS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE BUILDINGS.
MR. MARCH SAID +WITH NEW MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES BEING FORMED EVERY DAY IT IS POSSIBLE THIS INVOLVEMENT WILL BECOME AN ON-GOING COMMITMENT+.
HE ALSO REVEALED THAT NEW FIRE PREVENTION PUBLICITY MATERIALS, INCLUDING FILMS, PAMPHLETS AND POSTERS HAVE BEEN PRODUCED FOR THIS CAMPAIGN.
ONE OF THE POSTERS LISTING ALL THE DO'S AND DON'TS IN FIRE PREVENTION WAS PRINTED ON METAL SHEETS AND WILL BE PUT UP IN PROMINENT PLACES IN UP TO 3,000 RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS AND HOUSING ESTATES.
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