WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 1985
7
+BUT FROM TIME TO TIME THE DEPARTMENT ANALYSED SAMPLES OF CALLS IN ORDER TO CHECK ON OPERATING PERFORMANCE, MR JE AFFRESON SAID.
THE DEPARTMENT HAD CARRIED OUT AN ANALYSIS LAST MONTH ON A SAMPLE OF 850 EMERGENCY CALLS ANSWERED, COMPRISING 50 CALLS FROM EACH OF 17 DEPOTS DISTRIBUTED OVER THE WHOLE TERRITORY.
WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF AMBULANCES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID THE AMBULANCE SERVICES OF THE DEPARTMENT HAD A FLEET OF 198 AMBULANCES -- STATIONED AT 18 DEPOTS AND 17 FIRE STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY. FORTY-THREE AMBULANCES WERE DEPLOYED IN THE HONG KONG REGION, 77 IN THE KOWLOON REGION AND 72 IN THE NEW TERRITORIES REGION. SIX AMBULANCES WERE IN THE AMBULANCE TRAINING DIVISION.
MR JE AFFRESON SAID THAT THE ST JOHN AMBULANCE ASSOCIATION AND BRIGADE HAD SIX AMBULANCES, LARGELY USED FOR MOVING PATIENTS TO AND FROM HOSPITALS AND TREATMENT CENTRES.
+THE ASSOCIATION HAS INDICATED THAT IT WOULD CONSIDER FAVOURABLY ANY REQUEST FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO MAKE USE OF THE AMBULANCES IN AN EMERGENCY.
+A FEW PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN HONG KONG HAVE THEIR OWN AMBULANCES. THESE ARE UNLIKELY TO BE AVAILABLE IN AN EMERGENCY,+ HE SAID.
AS FOR THE MOTORCYCLE AMBULANCE SUPPORT SCHEME WHICH MR CHEUNG ALSO ASKED ABOUT, MR JEAFFRESON SAID THE ISSUE WOULD BE REVIVED AS SOON AS THE GOVERNMENT'S FINANCIAL SITUATION IMPROVED.
+FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS, BUT BASICALLY BECAUSE THE MOTORCYCLES CAN GET TO THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT MINUTES AHEAD OF AMBULANCES OFTEN IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE SECONDS MAY COUNT IN SAVING A PERSON'S LIFE, WE BELIEVE THE SCHEME TO HAVE BEEN HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL.
+BUT PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL CLIMATE AND PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE POLICY OF ZERO GROWTH IN THE CIVIL SERVICE, FUNDS COULD NOT BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE CAPITAL AND RECURRENT COSTS OF CONTINUING OR EXPANDING THE SCHEME FOR THE TIME BEING,+ HE SAID.
MEANWHILE, MR JEAFFRESON SAID, THE MOTORCYCLE AMBULANCE SUPPORT SCHEME WAS BEING LOOKED AT AGAIN IN THE CONTEXT OF A GENERAL REVIEW OF THE AMBULANCE SERVICE AS A WHOLE.
THE TRIAL PERIOD OF THE SCHEME BEGAN IN DECEMBER, 1982 AND ENDED IN JANUARY THIS YEAR.
18