MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1982
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EMERGENCY CALLS ARE THOSE INVOLVING PEOPLE WHOSE PHYSICAL CONDITION REQUIRES THAT THEY BE CONVEYED TO HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY, HE EXPLAINED.
IN ALMOST ALL CASES, PATIENTS ARE GIVEN AMBULANCE AID TREATMENT EITHER BEFORE THEY ARE MOVED INTO THE AMBULANCES OR ON THE WAY TO HOSPITAL, HE SAID.
AMBULANCE PERSONNEL RECEIVE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING FROM AMBULANCE OFFICERS WHO ARE QUALIFIED AMBULANCE AID INSTRUCTORS TRAINED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, AMBULANCE SUPERVISORS ALSO ATTEND TRAINING COURSES IN HOSPITALS.
MR PANG EXPLAINED THAT THE EXISTING RATIO WAS ONE AMBULANCE TO EVERY 40 000 PEOPLE, THOUGH THIS WAS FAR BEHIND THE ONE-FOR- 10 000 RATIO IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. HOWEVER, THE HONG KONG AMBULANCE SERVICE COMPARED VERY FAVOURABLY WITH SIMILAR SERVICES PROVIDED IN BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES, PARTLY BECAUSE THE IR SERVICES ARE USUALLY NOT SO CENTRALLY LOCATED, AND ARE OFTEN OPERATED BY DIFFERENT AUTHORITIES.
HONG KONG, HOWEVER, HAD A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER MAJOR METROPOLITAN CITIES IN THE WAY OF TRAFFIC JAMS.
IN AN EFFORT TO BEAT TRAFFIC SNARLS, THE AMBULANCE COMMAND RECENTLY INTRODUCED, ON A TRIAL BASIS, A MOTORCYCLE MEDICAL ATTENDANCE SERVICE WHICH WILL ENABLE THEIR PERSONNEL TO PROVIDE THE QUICKEST POSSIBLE RELIEF BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF AMBULANCES,
ANOTHER IMPORTANT SERVICE IS THE STEP IT TOOK RECENTLY TO PROVIDE THE QUICKEST POSSIBLE RESPONSE BY INSTALLING AN ADVANCED UHF (ULTRA-HIGH-FREQUENCY) RADIO SYSTEM WHICH OPERATES +A SEMI-AUTOMATIC VEHICLE STATUS INDICATOR+ TO PINPOINT THE LOCATION OF AN AMBULANCE FOR QUICK SUMMONS.
+THIS HAS PROVED TO BE A VERY USEFUL DEVICE, ENABLING US TO REACH THE SCENE OF A CALL IN AN AVERAGE OF 10 MINUTES IN THE URBAN AREA AND 20 MINUTES IN THE RURAL AREAS, + MR PANG SAID.
EACH AMBULANCE, HE SAID, IS MANNED BY ONE SUPERVISOR AND TWO ATTENDANTS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER, ALL OF WHOM ARE TRAINED TO TREAT THE INJURED, HE SAID.
EACH AMBULANCE IS EQUIPPED WITH A PORTABLE RESUSCITATOR, AN ENTONOX ANAGELSIC APPARATUS, PIPED OXYGEN SUPPLY, WOODEN AND AIR SPLINTS, A CERVICAL COLLAR, STRETCHERS, A FIRST AID BOX, EMERGENCY RESCUE TOOLS, AND OTHER MEDICAL SUPPLIES AND INSTRUMENTS.
WHERE SPECIAL RESCUE EXPERTISE IS REQUIRED, SUCH AS IN LANDSLIDES, HOUSE COLLAPSES, OR CRASHES, THE SPECIAL SERVICES+ OF THE FIRE SERVICES ARE ALERTED. SUCH SPECIAL SERVICES RESPONDED TO 2 000 CALLS IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, MR PANG SAID.