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The shortage of nursing staff in all residential care homes and health care staff in private homes has been another major problem. Additional funding has been secured to expand the training of health workers from 400 places to 1 200 places by March 1997.
(b) Even before the introduction of this new legislation, it was standard practice of the Fire Protection Bureau of the Fire Services Department to pay visits to newly established residential care homes for the elderly to explain the fire prevention measures needed. Staff of the Social Welfare Department have also regularly reminded home operators to follow the advice of the Fire Services Department in this respect and have issued letters regularly advising of the need to pay attention to fire safety measures.
With the introduction of the Residential Care Homes (Elderly Persons) Ordinance, all residential care homes for the elderly are now under a statutory obligation to comply with fire services requirements. Senior Station Officers of the Licensing Office of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly give in-depth guidance and advice on fire precaution measures to operators of residential care homes for the elderly when processing their applications for licences or certificates of exemption.
The fire which occurred recently in a private residential care home for the elderly in North Point was a minor incident caused by an electrical malfunction in a wall-mounted fan. Although this home had not yet submitted its application for a licence or certificate of exemption, the home was equipped with the basic fire services equipment and the operator possessed adequate knowledge about fire fighting. As a result, the fire was put out immediately.
This fire was a relatively minor and isolated incident which does not point to any inadequacy in the safety aspects of our legislation. Indeed, the fire was dealt with effectively and the electrical fault which caused it would have been difficult to detect whatever statutory requirements had been in effect at that time.
End/Wednesday, October 18, 1995