CO129-614-1 Commission of Inquiry into fire at West Point- report 26-5-1949 - 22-12-1949 — Page 72

51.

72

be assured, it would be useless to make plans in advance based on their

cooperation, Training would be arduous and would make considerable de-

mands on time, whereas the incentive to achieve cfficiency would be

lacking owing to the rare occurrence of fires at which their services

could be utilised. These same arguments may be used against the estab-

lishment of any auxiliary disciplined force, but we think that they are

of particular cogency in regard to an Auxiliary Fire Service. An Auxil-

iary Fire Service would of course be of value if a state of emergency

were declared, and if it were held in mobilised reserve.

Recall of Firemen who are off duty at the time of a big fire:

97.

Although we do not recommend the formation of an Auxiliary Fire

Service, we suggest that attention should be given to devising a scheme

for recalling in emergency firemen who are off duty, if the watch which

answers the call has to remain on duty for more than eight hours. It is

clearly impracticable to provide accommodation for all firemen and their

families at their duty-station, so that their absence from the station

area when off duty is inevitable. We see no reason however why in a

real emergency an outgoing watch should not return to duty after 8,

rather than 24 hours' rest. If such a scheme had existed before the

Wing On Fire, the watch which went off duty after nine o'clock during

the fire could have been instructed to report back at 5 o'clock in the

afternoon if not to the fire area itself at least to the Police Station

nearest their homes, whence further instructions could be issued to them.

There are other practical difficulties connected with recall whilst off

duty, but we do not consider thesc to be insurmountable.

Works Fire Brigades:

98. The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company and a small

number of factories have their own Works' Fire Brigades, who are avail-

able to deal with fires on the spot in their own work places and to

render trained assistance to the Fire Brigade on its arrival. The for-

mation of such brigades was welcomed by the Chief Officer, who advocated

their extension. The training resources of the Colony's Brigade was at

the disposal of firms who wished to form their own Works Brigade, and we