WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1994
11
THESE ORDER, NOTICES AND REGULATIONS WILL BE GAZETTED ON FRIDAY (NOVEMBER 11).
THEY WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1 NEXT YEAR EXCEPT THE RADAR REQUIREMENT WHICH WILL COME INTO EFFECT ON JANUARY 1, 1996.
FIRE SERVICES TO MEET CHALLENGES AHEAD
THE
HONG KONG HAS ONE OF THE MOST REPUTABLE FIRE SERVICES TEAMS IN WORLD, OPERATING AT A COST WHICH IS CONSIDERED "THE LOWEST", THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR LAM CHEK-YUEN, SAID.
"IN 1992/93, EACH HONG KONG PEOPLE PAID $182, AND IN 1993/94, ONLY $198 FOR THE SERVICE, COMPARED WITH $1,576 IN TOKYO, SAN FRANCISCO AND $783 IN TORONTO, HE POINTED OUT.
"THE SERVICE WE PROVIDE IS GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY,
$1,352 IN
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HE ADDED.
MR LAM WAS DELIVERING A TALK ON "THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THE FIRE SERVICES AND ITS PLANS TO MEET THE DEMANDS AND CHALLENGES AHEAD" AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF KOWLOON WEST TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
TO COPE WITH THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT LOCALLY, HE SAID SEVEN NEW FIRE STATIONS WERE BEING BUILT OR PLANNED IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS AT CAUSEWAY BAY, VICTORIA ROAD, TUNG CHUNG, CHEK LAP KOK, SHUM TSENG, KWUN WAT AND TSEUNG KWAN 0.
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IN ADDITION, A NEW FIREBOAT FIRE STATION WAS BEING PLANNED TUEN MUN TO MEET THE DEMAND OF THE EXPANDING RIVER TRADER NEAR PEARL RIVER ESTUARY BECAUSE OF THE INCREASING ECONOMIC LINK BETWEEN CHINA AND HONG KONG, MR LAM SAID.
ON FIRE PROTECTION, HE SAID LEGISLATION SUCH AS THE BEDSPACE APARTMENTS ORDINANCE AND RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES (ELDERLY PERSONS) BILL HAD BEEN ENACTED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY REASONS, REQUIRING SUCH PREMISES TO INSTALL BETTER PREVENTION AND FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT.
REFERRING TO THE CATASTROPHIC BANK FIRE AT SHEK KIP MEI EARLY THIS YEAR WHICH RESULTED IN A HIGH DEATH TOLL, HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS CONSIDERING THE INVESTIGATION TEAM'S RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE ALL COMMERCIAL PREMISES LARGER THAN 230 SQUARE METRES THAT ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, TO PROVIDE FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS AND BETTER MEANS OF ESCAPE.
AUTHORITY
TOOK NEXT THE
MR LAM WENT ON TO SAY THAT WHEN THE HOSPITAL OVER THE NON-EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE IN THE NEW TERRITORIES YEAR, THE FIRE SERVICES WOULD BE ABLE TO CONCENTRATE ON UPGRADING EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE BOTH IN TERMS OF QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY, AND IN DEVELOPING THE PARAMEDIC AMBULANCE SERVICE.
ALTHOUGH THE YEAR SAW A HIGH NUMBER OF TRAGIC ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY HEAVY RAIN, LANDSLIDES, BUILDINGS COLLAPSING AND PLANE CRASH WHICH HAD BROUGHT ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE WORK OF THE SERVICE, MR LAM ASSURED THE PUBLIC THAT THE TOUGH TRAINING HIS MEMBERS RECEIVED MADE THEM WELL PREPARED TO ACHIEVE THE BEST.
HAD
/ON BUILDINGS