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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1978
AMBULANCE SERVICE GETS A BIG BOOST
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UNDER AN EXPANSION SCHEME OF FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE AMBULANCE SERVICE MANPOWER WILL NEARLY DOUBLE ITS PRESENT STRENGTH TO ABOUT 1,000 BY THE END OF NEXT FINANCIAL YEAR.
A FLEET OF 20 NEW, FULLY-AUTOMATIC AMBULANCES WILL ALSO ARRIVE HONG KONG EARLY THIS YEAR TO BOOST THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN SERVICE TO 119.
TWO AMBULANCE DEPOTS WERE BROUGHT INTO SERVICE LAST YEAR AT HING WAH AND LEI MUK SHU ESTATES AND EIGHT MORE ARE BEING PLANNED FOR THE NEW TOWNS AND DENSELY POPULATED AREAS TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC ARE ADEQUATELY SERVED.
THE NEW VEHICLES, EACH COSTING $93,000 WILL BE THE FIRST FULLY-AUTOMATIC AMBULANCES IN SERVICE HERE. THE FIRST BATCH OF THREE VEHICLES WILL ARRIVE HONG KONG IN APRIL. THEY ARE MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND ARE IDEAL FOR HONG KONG'S ROADS.
THEY WILL ALSO BE EQUIPPED WITH TELE-COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, PIPED OXYGEN, ANALGESIC GAS, RESUSCITATION APPARATUS, BURN DRESSINGS AND AIR SPLINTS,
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AMBULANCE COMMAND SAID THAT DEMAND FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE HAD INCREASED BY 10 PER CENT IN 1976 AS COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THE NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED WAS MORE THAN 160,000 AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PATIENTS CARRIED EXCEEDED WELL OVER 204,600.
HE ATTRIBUTED THE UPWARD TREND TO A NUMBER OF FACTORS. INCLUDING GREATER AWARENESS BY THE PUBLIC OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND THE WILLINGNESS TO USE IT.
+ THE RISE IN POPULATION AND THE INCREASING NUMBERS OF CASES OF HOSPITAL TRANSFERS CAUSED BY THE HEAVY DEMAND ON HONG KONG'S MEDICAL SERVICES, ARE SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR THE TREND,+ HE SAID.
+FURTHERMORE, OUR SERVICE HAS INCREASED SINCE THE GERIATRIC WARD IN PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL CAME INTO OPERATION EARLY LAST YEAR, HE ADDED.
ABOUT FIVE AMBULANCES ARE SPECIALLY USED TO CARRY PATIENTS BETWEEN THEIR HOMES AND HOSPITAL FOR AFTER-CARE TREATMENT DURING WEEKDAYS. THIS SPECIAL SERVICE USUALLY TAKES ABOUT HALF A DAY.
HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR THE GERIATRIC PATIENTS COULD BE EXPANDED TO COVER THE NEW TERRITORIES AND HONG KONG ISLAND AS WELL.
+ ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF CALLS CONTINUES TO PUT PRESSURE ON AMBULANCE RESOURCES, WE ARE STILL ABLE TO MEET DEMANDS ITHOUT UNDUE DELAY, HE SAID.