3
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1987
"FIRE LAWS PROTECT
*
H
IS CAMPAIGN THEME
THAT
TO ENABLE THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THE LEGAL IMPLICATIONS COULD ARISE FROM CONTRAVENTION OF CERTAIN FIRE SAFETY LAWS, THE THEME "FIRE LAWS PROTECT" HAD BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN THIS YEAR, THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR JOHN MARCH, SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) AT THE LAUNCHING OF THE 1987-88 FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN.
HE EXPLAINED THAT THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT DERIVED NO PLEASURE IN TAKING PEOPLE TO COURT BUT IT WOULD NOT HESITATE TO DO 80 WHEN HAZARDS POSED AN UNACCEPTABLE THREAT TO FIRE SAFETY,
HE SAID THE INFORMATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FIRE SERVICES AND OTHER AGENCIES, HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN PROVIDING SUITABLE POSTERS, PAMPHLETS AND OTHER INFORMATIVE RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT THIS YEAR'S THEME WAS WIDELY DISSEMINATED AND DRIVEN HOME.
WORLDWIDE, OVER THE PAST YEAR, FIRE HAD CONTINUED TO CAUSE PAIN, SUFFERING AND DEATH AS WELL AS WASTEFUL DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY, AND REGRETTABLY, HONG KONG WAS NO EXCEPTION, MR MARCH SAID.
HE SAID: "IN THE LATTER PART OF 1986, WE WITNESSED THE MUCH PUBLICISED AND TRAGIC DEATHS OF 13 WORKERS AS A RESULT OF A FIRE IN A FUR FACTORY. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS THERE WERE SERIOUS FIRES IN THE ABERDERN TYPHOON SHELTER AND CHU коо CHAI SQUATTER AREA WHICH RESULTED IN 4,000 PEOPLE BEING RENDERED HOMELESS. IN FACT, OVER THE PAST YEAR, 34 PERSONS HAVE DIED FROM FIRE AND OVER 580 HAVE BEEN INJURED, MANY OF THEM DISFIGURED FOR LIFE."
OF THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS IN FIRE PREVENTION, HE SAID: "THE GOVERNMENT IS VERY CONSCIOUS OF THE NEED TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF FIRE AND ITS RESULTANT TRAGIC EFFECTS. EACH YEAR, FUNDS ARE PROVIDED FOR A FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN AIMED AT EDUCATING AND ENCOURAGING PUBLIC CO-OPERATION IN THE FIGHT AGAINST FIRE.
"EMPHASIS IS PLACED UPON A PARTICULAR THEME EVERY YEAR TO ENSURE THE MESSAGE IS AS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AS POSSIBLE BY THE PUBLIC,"
OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS THE THEMES HAD CONCENTRATED ON MEANS OF ESCAPE FROM FIRE, CARELESSNESS AND THE EFFECTS OF SMOKE.
THE
NOTE THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S INCREASE IN FIRE INCIDENTS YEARS AGO, AND DEATHS AND
MR MARCH SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO EFFORTS APPEARED TO BE PAYING OFF AS THE WAS NOT AS MARKED AS IT HAD BEEN A FKW INJURIES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS HAD REMAINED AT ABOUT THE SAME LEVELS.
"NEVERTHELESS, WE CANNOT BE COMPLACENT AND WE MUST CONTINUE OUR ENDEAVOURS TO TRY TO REDUCE THESE FIGURES," HE SAID.
IN
/MR MARCH