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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1982
HONG KONG IS ACCEPTED AS A LEADER IN COUNTER-DISASTER PLANNING, WITH THE UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC (UNESCAP) HOLDING IT UP AS A MODEL IN THIS FIELD.
+THE DEPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL, THE IR TRAINING AND DISCIPLINE, AND THEIR CAPABILITY FOR HANDLING EMERGENCY TASKS, NOT TO MENTION THE IR ESPRIT DE CORPS AND THE QUALITY OF THEIR LEADERS, ALL MAKE FOR A UNIQUELY EFFICIENT AND COMPETENT RESOURCE TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS OF GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN DISASTER SITUATIONS,+ THE UNESCAP SAID IN A REVIEW REPORT ON HONG KONG'S SYSTEM.
THE CONGRESS WAS ATTENDED BY 380 DELEGATES FROM OVER 67 COUNTRIES.
COINCIDING WITH THE CONGRESS, THE GENEVA-BASED INTERNATIONAL CIVIL DEFENCE ORGANISATION PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE IN ITS OFFICIAL BULLETIN DESCRIBING HONG KONG'S EMERGENCY AUXILIARY SERVICES AS +QUITE A REMARKABLE PROTECTION AND RELIEF SYSTEM+.
WITH WORLD-WIDE INTEREST SWINGING AWAY FROM NUCLEAR PROTECTION TO COUNTER-DISASTER PLANNING, DELEGATES IMPRESSED BY HONG KONG'S SUCCESS HAVE REQUESTED INFORMATION ON THE CIVIL AID SERVICES FROM ITS CHIEF STAFF OFFICER, MR JOHN FORTUNE, WHO REPRESENTED HONG KONG AT THE CONFERENCE.
MR FORTUNE BRIEFED DELEGATES AT THE CONFERENCE ON THE STRUCTURE, OPERATIONS AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE CAS.
SINCE ITS FORMATION IN 1952, THE CAS HAS GROWN FROM A CIVIL DEFENCE UNIT TO A BROADLY BASED AUXILIARY ORGANISATION WITH 3 525 ADULTS AND A CADET CORPS OF 2 500.
AMONG OTHER FUNCTIONS, THE IR TASKS INCLUDE SEARCH, RESCUE AND EVACUATION, RECOVERY AND TRANSPORTATION OF CASUALTIES, RECONNAISSANCE, ROAD CLEARANCE, TRAFFIC CONTROL, CONTROL AND SUPERVISION OF HOMELESS DISASTER VICTIMS AND REFUGEES, AND DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD AND PROVISION OF EMERGENCY RELIEF.
HE STRESSED THAT PRE-PLANNING, PREPARATION, TRAINING AND PUBLIC EDUCATION WERE ESSENTIAL IN COUNTER-DISASTER WORK.
AMONG THE CRITERIA HE LISTED FOR VOLUNTARY RECRUITS IN HONG KONG ARE THEIR AVAILABILITY FOR PUBLIC DUTY IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY, THEIR PHYSICAL FITNESS, POSSESSION OF BASIC SKILLS, DISCIPLINE, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUITABILITY.
HE TOLD THE CONGRESS THAT VOLUNTEERS IN HONG KONG WERE TRAINED ON SUCH SUBJECTS AS MOUNTAIN RESCUE, FOREST FIRE FIGHTING, REFUGEE CAMP MANAGEMENT, CROWD CONTROL PSYCHOLOGY, RESCUE WORK DURING FLOODS OR LANDSLIDES, COUNTER-OIL POLLUTION DUTIES AND ADVANCED FIRST AID.
HE ALSO UNDERLINED THE IMPORTANCE OF CLOSE LIAISON AMONG DIFFERENT SERVICES, RAPID MOBILISATION AND MAINTENANCE OF MORALE AMONG VOLUNTEER WORKERS.
MR FORTUNE IS RETURNING TO HONG KONG ON NOVEMBER 16 AFTER VISITING CIVIL DEFENCE FACILITIES IN HAWAII,
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