WEDNESDAY, JUNE
"VICES' SPECIAL MTR STRIKE FORCE READY
*****
EPARTMENT HAS JUST RE-ACTIVATED ITS AL UNIT TO DEAL WITH ANY FORM OF EMERGENCY DURING THE ONSTRUCTION OF THE MASS TRANSIT ISLAND LINE.
CALLED THE MASS TRANSIT RAILWAY STRIKE FORCE, THE UNIT IS UNDER THE COMMAND OF A DIVISIONAL OFFICER.
THE STRIKE FORCE WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED LAST YEAR BUT WAS 'STOOD DOWN' WHEN PRESSURISED TUNNEL WORK WAS COMPLETED IN KOWLOON.
TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE OPERATIONAL COVER FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ISLAND LINE, ANOTHER UNIT, MTR STRIKE FORCE TWO WAS FORMED EARLIER THIS MONTH.
+OUR DUTIES ARE TO ATTEND FIRES AND SPECIAL SERVICE CALLS IN COMPRESSED AIR TUNNELS, SHAFTS AND CHAMBERS AND TO INSPECT COMPRESSED AIR TUNNELS REGULARLY IN RESPECT OF FIRE SERVICES INSTALLATION REGULATIONS,+ SAID HSU KING-PING, DIVISIONAL OFFICER IN-CHARGE OF THE STRIKE FORCE.
THE MTR STRIKE FORCE WORKS DIRECTLY UNDER HONG KONG FIRE COMMAND WITH STRIKE FORCE ONE OPERATING AT HARBOUR ROAD FIRE STATION AND STRIKE FORCE TWO AT SHEUNG WAN FIRE STATION.
THE COMBINED STRENGTH OF THE TWO FORCES WILL BE MADE UP OF 85 MEN, INCLUDING ONE DIVISIONAL OFFICER, SIX ASSISTANT DIVISIONAL OFFICERS, SIX SENIOR STATION OR STATION OFFICERS AND 72 OTHER RANKS.
MEMBERS OF THE STRIKE FORCE HAVE BEEN SPECIALLY CHOSEN FROM AMONG THE YOUNGER MEN WHO ARE IN FIRST CLASS PHYSICAL CONDITION.
BEFORE THEY ARE CERTIFIED FIT FOR MTR WORK UNDER COMPRESSED AIR CONDITIONS, THEY HAVE TO UNDERGO MEDICAL AND RADIOGRAPHY EXAMINATIONS, AND LOCK TESTS. THEREAFTER, THEY HAVE TO UNDERGO MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS AT REGULAR INTERVALS.
THE STANDARDS REQUIRED FOR WORK IN COMPRESSED AIR ARE SO RIGID THAT ANY PERSON FOUND SUFFERING FROM A COMMON COLD OR OTHER SIMILAR MINOR AILMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY REMOVED FROM STRIKE FORCE DUTIES AND WILL HAVE TO BE RE-EXAMINED BY AN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH OFFICER OF THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT FOR THE IR STANDARD OF FITNESS.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT IS BEING USED BY THE MTR STRIKE FORCE, INCLUDING BREATHING APPARATUS WHICH CAN BE USED BY TWO PERSONS AT THE SAME TIME FOR RESCUE PURPOSES DURING AN EMERGENCY, AND SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF A PERSONAL RADIO WITH AN EARPHONE AND THROAT MICROPHONE. OFFICERS WORKING INSIDE THE TUNNEL CAN TRANSMIT AND RECEIVE MESSAGES FROM COMPRESSED AIR ENVIRONMENT TO NON-PRESSUR ISED AREA. DISTRESS SIGNAL UNITS ARE ATTACHED TO BREATHING APPARATUS SETS AND NON SLIP SAFETY BELTS ARE ALSO USED BY THE STRIKE FORCE MEMBERS WHEN WORKING IN VERTICAL SHAFTS,
+WE ARE READY TACKLE ANY INCIDENTS THAT MAY ARISE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION LORK OF THE MTR ISLAND LINE, SAID MR HSU.