248
8
An electric light plant on No. 1 Fire Float has been approved and will be supplied forthwith. The float will be lighted up and clusters of lights worked from the foal or in the alternative a searchlight. A portable searchlight should be carried on No. 2 Boat. A certain number of powerful oil lamps and also electric hand torches should be carried on board as has been suggested. A coffee machine and a supply of provisions for firemen should also be carried on each float. The hose couplings of the 4" hose should be discarded and automatic couplings provided. I further recommend that the Naval Authorities be approached in the matter of lending assistance when required, particularly at fires on board ships. Their general training and familiarity with ships make them particularly well fitted to fight an outbreak of fire on board ship. They are also supplied with smoke helmets. It would, I think, be advisable to have a defuite arrangement with the Naval Authorities for the supply of men and smoke helmets when required, provided they agree. Naval parties at present attend all large fres and are most useful but their services would be invaluable at ship fires.
-C-Fire Stations,
Exclusive of two small Fire Stations at Shaukiwan and Un Long each containing a steam fire engine, the Fire Stations consist of:-
1 3-storied old building in Queen's Road Central, Victoria.
1 New Fire Station at Kowloon, Tsim Sha Tsui.
The present Fire Brigade Headquarters are quite unsuitable for Fire Brigade work. They consist of a number of tenement houses converted into what must have been intended as temporary Fire Brigade premises only. The building is too small, has no yard or drill ground of any kind and obstructs the footpath. It is also situated on a parrow street which hampers the movement of the fire appliances, and the street is completely obstructed when the Brigade turns out. The premises are too small to house the number of fire appliances on order or the personnel. The turntable ladders could not be housed there owing to their size. Plans for a new Station opposite the Central Market have been prepared and work will it is hoped, be commenced on the new Fire Brigade Headquarters this year. This building meets all the latest requirements of an up to date Station and will be an invaluable asset to the Brigade when completed. It contains accommodation for 8 motor appliances, quarters for 100 firemen, married quarters for Chinese Foremen, mechanics and others who must necessarily live on the premises, and married quarters also for the Superintendent and the Station Officer (European). A hose tower, drill tower and an ample yard are also provided. Rapid access to the ground floor from the firemen's quarters will be provided by means of brass poles. Doors opening automatically will also be fitted. Drying rooms and machine shops are also included. (See Appendix C.) This building can, however, hardly be completed under 2 to 3 years, as it forms one side of a large block of buildings covering the whole site opposite the Central Market in Des Voeux Road. It will therefore te necessary to house the Brigade or some part of it in temporary premises to supplement bhe present premises in Queen's Road Central. Such premises can be erected on the temporary reclamation near No. 2 Police Station, Wanchai. According to the present scheme it is not proposed to have Sub-Stations in Victoria but to concentrate the entire Brigade at Headquarters, but should it be found advisable, the question of Sub-Stations can be considered in connection with new District Police Stations in Wanchai and Sai Ying Pun Districts. It might be well to station one Motor pump with extension ladder in each of these districts, but no doubt the experience gained by opening the temporary Sub-Station in Wanchai will make it possible to come to definite conclusions on this subject. The temporary premises should be large enough to take two machines and 20 firemen. They should be ready in time to take one or more of the new machines or order from home which will arrive in the autumn. This arrangement appears to be the best solution of the housing problem of the Brigade in Victoria, during the erection of the new Headquarters.
The new premises in Kowloon are adequate for the equipment of the Brigade, but it will be necessary shortly to erect quarters for the firemen on the premises. They are at present housed at the Water Police Station adjoining, where the accommodation is inadequate. Owing to the excellent situation of the Fire Station on a broad thoroughfare giving easy access to all parts of Kowloon, it is considered that this Station will suffice for the needs of the peninsula for some time to come.
(III)-Water Supply and Water Pressure.
Generally speaking the water supply for fire purposes is good. It is controlled by the Water Authority, a Sub-Department of the P.W.J. The pressure in Victoria is good though it varies considdembly in different districts at different hours. Group Hydrants have been supplied throughout the City as shown in Appendix D). The group hydrants consist of groups of three hydrants at important points. The motor pumps are worked off a dani which is kept filled by the 3 hydrants which are close together, one hydrant being insufficient for the purpose as the draw off by the pump is to great. Before the introduction of group hydrants much time was lost in connecting up two or three hydrants situated some distance apart to feed the dam. It is further propused to pup direct from the mains when possible by means of 3 way collecting heads fitted direct to the suction of the pump, thus avoiding the use of a dan, as the latter entails a good deal of waste of water and loss of pressure in the mains. The only difficulty which still exists as regards water pressure in the City is on the upper levels. These cannot be reached by the Motor Pumps, as there is no motor road to such level, as Queen's Gardens, May Road and Conduit Road. The danger of serious conflagratious on these in levels is however slight as the houses are detached or semi-detached. The the mains is sufficient to confine an outbreak to the premises it starts in. The same remarks apply to the Peak where the fire appliances are confined to Despatch Boxes containing hose and standpipes and nozzles which are worked direct off the mains,
pressure
In Kowloon group hydrants have been provided as shown in Appendix 1. The pressure is very good indeed in Sham Shui Po (Sai Kok) which is now connected up by à 10" main to the 12" principal feed main. This main is also available in Shanghai Street up to Waterloo Road. Tsim Sha Tsui is as yet not getting the benefit of the 15" main in Vormation Road as this main cannot be connected to the 18" main in Taipo Rond until the Nathan end of Coronation Road is driven through the hill. It is anticipated that this connection will be through in alxat a year. Hunghom is supplied by an 8" main. The principal buildings at Tsim Sha Tsui, eg.. The Kowloon Wharf & Godown Co.'s premises and Holt's Wharf are served by the Fire Floats as are also the Hongkong & Whampoa Dock Co.'s premises. Outlying shipyards are mainly protected by the Fire Floats. Such premises however should have and mostly do have their own The owners of fire appliances to supplement the Government Fire Brigade. premises where there are furnaces, blacksmith's shops and matsheds cannot expect the entire fire protection of their premises to be undertaken by the Fire Brigasle. They should have their own fire service as is the case already on all such premises as H.M, Naval Yard, The Kowloon & Whampoa Docks and the Tai Koo Dorks.
(IV. Estimate of Cost of Fire Brigade.
The upkeep of the Fire service at present costs 877,213 pa. made up as follows :—
Personal Emoluments
Other Charges
Total
Special expenditure on new appliances for the year
1921 is estimated at
To which $16,600 must be added owing to loss in
exchange and higher prices prevailing now
Total
s 10,513 36,700
* 77,243
$ 11,220
16,600
$ 27,820
The proposed expenditure entailed by the re-organization of the Brigade which includes all changes except Buildings is as follows :--
Personal Emoluments. Other Charges
Total
$ 59,102
19,500
$HIS,602
7
ļ
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.