SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1993
PUBLIC URGED TO TAKE HEED OF ELECTRICAL SAFETY
THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, TODAY (SUNDAY) URGED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO BE MORE CAREFUL WHEN USING ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES TO ENSURE A SAFER HOME AND WORK PLACE.
SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF THE 1993/94 FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN-CUM-FIRE SERVICES 125TH ANNIVERSARY EXHIBITION, MR ASPREY SAID ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WERE SAFE TO USE IF PROPERLY INSTALLED AND MAINTAINED.
"ON THE
OTHER HAND, WITHOUT PROPER INSTALLATION AND
++
MAINTENANCE, THEY MAY LEAD TO DISASTER, MR ASPREY SAID.
HE DESCRIBED THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S CAMPAIGN "ELECTRICAL SAFETY" AS PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE BECAUSE SOME 20 PER CENT OF FIRES IN HONG KONG WERE SPARKED OFF BY ELECTRICITY LEAKAGE.
THE MOST COMMON CAUSES ARE THE MISUSE OF ADAPTORS, FAULTY WIRING AND DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES.
"ALMOST ALL SUCH FIRES COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE INSTALLATIONS WERE PROPERLY AND REGULARLY MAINTAINED, AND IF SUFFICIENT CARE WAS EXERCISED BY THE USERS," HE STRESSED.
MR ASPREY SAID FIRE WAS THE MAJOR THREAT TO LIVES AND PROPERTY, AND "PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE."
THE AIM OF THIS CAMPAIGN, HE SAID, WAS TO PROMOTE GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS IN THIS ASPECT.
THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT ALSO HOLDS AN EXHIBITION TO MARK ITS 125TH ANNIVERSARY.
MR ASPREY PRAISED THE SERVICE FOR ACHIEVING A WELL-DESERVED REPUTATION AND RESPECT INTERNATIONALLY FOR THE EFFICIENCY AND PROFESSIONALISM OF ITS EMERGENCY SERVICES.
ALSO SPEAKING AT THE CEREMONY, THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR JERRY LAM CHEK-YUEN, SAID APART FROM PUTTING OUT FIRES, FIRE SERVICES MEMBERS HAD AN EQUALLY IMPORTANT DUTY TO PERFORM AND THAT IS, TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY IN PREVENTING FIRES,
"THIS IS AN ON-GOING PROGRAMME AND CAN ONLY SUCCEED WITH THE FULL CO-OPERATION OF THE PUBLIC, HE SAID.
THE GOVERNMENT ALSO SPREADS FIRE PREVENTION MESSAGES THROUGH LEAFLETS, POSTERS, TELEVISION SHORT FILMS AND RADIO PROGRAMMES.
THE EXHIBITION, HELD AT THE NEW WORLD PLAZA, TSIM SHA TSUI, WILL CLOSE AT 2 PM ON TUESDAY (NOVEMBER 9).
0
/4