SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 1987
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+THIS HAS BEEN THE PRIME OBJECTIVE, THAT THE SHORTER THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET TO SCENE THE BETTER WE ARE ABLE TO CONTAIN A FIRE, AND, OF COURSE, TO CARRY OUT RESCUES MORE QUICKLY. +
MR HSU, A SENIOR DIVISIONAL OFFICER, EXPLAINED THAT THE EXISTING MOBILISING SYSTEM, BEING A MANUAL OPERATION, WAS ABLE TO MEET THE TERRITORY'S NEEDS WHEN INSTALLED IN 1979. HOWEVER, ITS CAPACITY COULD NOT BE FURTHER EXPANDED TO MEET ANTICIPATED NEEDS BEYOND 1990.
THE FAST MOVING TECHNOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT IN COMPUTER OFFERED OBVIOUS SOLUTIONS IN UPGRADING THE MOBILISING SYSTEM, MR HSU SAID.
A WORKING GROUP WAS SET UP TWO YEARS AGO TO PLAN AND FORMULATE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE NEW SYSTEM. THIS GROUP COMPRISED REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE FIRE SERVICES, GOVERNMENT DATA PROCESSING AGENCY, ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE POST OFFICE.
THE COMPUTER-ASSISTED MOBILISING SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE GREATER FLEXIBILITY IN MOBILISING FIRE ENGINES AND AMBULANCES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH HONG KONG'S SPECIAL DEMANDS.
MR HSU EXPLAINED THAT THE NEW SYSTEM WOULD PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE CENTRE OPERATORS SUCH AS STATUS OF FIRE AND AMBULANCE RESOURCES, APPROPRIATE FIRE AND AMBULANCE ATTENDANCE, AND THE SHORTEST ROUTE TO THE SCENE.
+ THE NEW SYSTEM WILL ALSO INTERFACE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS, SUCH AS TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL AND AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS, + HE SAID.
+ON OPERATING THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL, KNOWN AS THE +GREEN-WAVE SYSTEM+, ALL RESPONDING FIRE ENGINES WILL BE GIVEN PRIORITY TO TRAVEL SPEEDILY WITHOUT DELAY ON THE PRE-SELECTED ROUTE TO THE SCENE WITH 'GREEN' TRAFFIC LIGHTS, HE SAID.
THE OPERATION OF THE AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM TRANSMISSION SYSTEM LINKED TO HOTELS, DEPARTMENT STORES, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER PREMISES WILL BE ENHANCED ON INTERFACING WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.
THE MOBILISING SYSTEM CURRENTLY IN USE, WITH 175 UNIFORMED STAFF IS OPERATING AT THE SIXTH FLOOR AT THE TSIM SHA TSUI FIRE STATION COMPLEX IN CANTON ROAD.
+THE EXISTING SYSTEM WILL NOT BE MOVED TO THE NEW HEADQUARTERS AND IS EXPECTED TO BE USED IN THE PRESENT LOCATION UNTIL THE END OF ITS SERVICEABLE LIFE, MR HSU SAID.
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