SUNDAY, MARCH 23, 1980
THE WINNER OF THE PIANO CONCERT CLASS IN THE CURRENT SCHOOLS MUSIC FESTIVAL WILL PLAY A PIECE WITH THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.
THE URBAN COUNCIL WILL ALSO PLAY A PART IN THE CELEBRATIONS. IT WILL ARRANGE A SPECIAL CONCERT BY THE HONG KONG PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA IN THE CITY HALL CONCERT HALL. THIS WILL HAVE RENOWNED BRITISH PIANIST PETER KATIN AS GUEST SOLOIST. THE GOVERNOR WILL ATTEND THIS MUSICAL EVENT.
OTHER THAN THE INDOOR CONCERTS, THE PROGRAMMES WILL BE OPEN, FREE OF CHARGE, TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
SAVING LIFE BY CANOE
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THE AUXILIARY MEDICAL SERVICE HAS TRAINED OVER 100 SPECIAL LIFE GUARDS TO PATROL POPULAR BEACHES THIS SUMMER.
THEY WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER LIFE-SAVERS BECAUSE THEY WILL OPERATE IN TEAMS OF THREE AND MOVE ABOUT ON WATER
IN CANOES BUILT SPECIALLY FOR RESCUE WORK.
+CANOES ARE IDEAL FOR LIFE-SAVING BECAUSE WITHOUT ANY PROPELLER THEY ARE COMPLETELY WITHOUT HAZARD TO SWIMMERS IN WATER, PARTICULARLY IN OUR OFTEN TOO CROWDED SWIMMING BEACHES. THEY ARE MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE THEY MOVE VERY FAST AND YET ARE EASILY MANOEUVRABLE,+ SAID MR K.C. TONG, THE AMS MEDICAL DEFENCE STAFF OFFICER.
THIS METHOD OF LIFE-SAVING IS WIDELY PRACTISED IN BRITAIN, AUSTRALIA AND THE UNITED STATES, FOR OUR LOCAL CONDITIONS, THE CANOES TO BE USED ARE OF FIBRE-GLASS AND ARE SOME FOUR METRES IN LENGTH, EACH WEIGHING ONLY 14 KILOGRAMS. THEY WERE BUILT BY AMS MEMBERS THEMSELVES.
WHEN ON ACTUAL DUTY THERE ARE USUALLY THREE CANOES WITH THREE AMS MEMBERS IN A TEAM. IF A SWIMMER IN DIFFICULTY IS NOT INJURED AND IS CONSCIOUS, HE CAN BE CARRIED BY A CANOE TO THE SHORE BY SIMPLY CLINGING TO THE BOW IN THE WATER OR HANGING ON TO THE TOGGLE,
IN THIS WAY THE CANOE LIFE GUARD CAN KEEP AN EYE ON HIM ALL THE TIME IN CASE HE NEEDS SUDDEN HELP BEFORE REACHING THE SHORE, MR TONG SAID.
IF, HOWEVER, THE SWIMMER IS INJURED BUT IS STILL CONSCIOUS, HE IS HELPED TO REST ON THE FLAT TOP OF THE STERN SLIGHTLY LEANING ONTO THE BACK OF THE CANOEIST, HE IS MADE TO LIE FACING DOWN WITH HIS HEAD TILTED SO THAT HIS AIRWAY IS KEPT OPEN DURING THE EVACUATION BY CANOE.
/IN THE