FRIDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1979
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FUTURE LOOK OF FIRE PREVENTION DEVICES
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A FUTURE LOOK OF FIRE PREVENTION AND WARNING DEVICES WAS OUTLINED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR. M.K. LANE.
HE SAID: +1 CAN FORESEE THE DAY WHEN WHAT WE NOW REGARD AS HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED PROTECTION DEVICES, LASER HEAT SCANNERS, REFUGE FLOORS AND THE LIKE WILL BE AS ACCEPTABLE WITHIN THE COST ENVELOPE OF A BUILDING AS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, MULTIPLE EXITS AND INTERNAL HYDRANTS.+
MR. LANE WAS SPEAKING AT A MEETING ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG BRANCH OF THE CHARTERED INSTITUTION OF BUILDING SERVICES (CIBS) IN UK.
MR. LANE'S PAPER ENTITLED: +RESPECTIVE ROLES OF BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERS AND FIRE SERVICES OFFICERS IN THE PROVISION AND MAINTENANCE OF FIRE-SAFE BUILDINGS+, HAVE PROVIDED THE MEETING WITH AN INSIGHT INTO THE PHILOSOPHY AS WELL AS THE WORKING OF THE FIRE SERVICES.
HE STRESSED THAT THE PASSIVE SIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT WAS BY NO MEANS A NEGATIVE SIDE AND THAT ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE SERVICES WHICH THEY HAD TO OFFER WAS TO ADVISE THOSE CONCERN WITH CONSTRUCTION OF NEW BUILDINGS ABOUT WAYS AND MEANS OF PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY.
+I LOOK FORWARD TO A CONTINUING DIALOGUE BETWEEN MY DEPARTMENT AND THE CIBS BRANCH IN THE JOINT INTEREST WHICH WE HAVE OF ACHIEVING THIS GOAL.
+WE ARE ALL HIGHLY PROFESSIONAL PEOPLE AND IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT THOSE WHOSE DUTY IS TO PROTECT THOSE LIVES WHICH DEPEND IN PART UPON THE PROPER INSTALLATION AND FUNCTIONING OF PROTECTION SYSTEMS SHOULD RELATE VERY CLOSELY TO THOSE WHO DESIGN AND INSTALL THEM.+
THE CIBS BRANCH WAS FORMED ALMOST A YEAR AGO AND TODAY'S MEETING WAS ONE OF A SERIES DURING WHICH A WIDE RANGE OF PAPERS COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF BUILDING SERVICES WOULD BE PRESENTED.
+MR. LANE'S COMMENT SERVED TO EMPHASISE THE ROLE WHICH WE PLAYED IN REPRESENTING THE VIEWS AND THE SKILLS OF THE PROFESSIONAL BUILDING SERVICE ENGINEERS IN HONG KONG, SAID THE BRANCH CHAIRMAN, MR. EDWIN TAO.
MR. TAO WAS MOST IMPRESSED BY THE ENTHUSIASM OF LOCAL MEMBERS AND, IN PARTICULAR, STUDENT MEMBERS. WE HAVE 40 MEMBERS IN HONG KONG AND TO GET ATTENDANCE OF AROUND 150 AT TODAY'S MEETING IS A CLEAR INDICATION OF THE INTEREST WHICH WE ARE GENERATING, HE SAID.
+HONG KONG HAD BEEN WITHOUT A FORUM FOR ENGINEERS IN OUR DISCIPLINE FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND THE DECISION OF OUR COUNCIL IN LONDON TO SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF THE BRANCH HAS BEEN WELCOMED BY ALL, MR. TAQ ADDED.
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