XN000022-1972-07-11 — Page 4

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Tuesday, July 11, 1972

NEW AIRPORT FIRE STATION

Hong Kong Airport is to have a new permanent fire station and additional

equipment to deal with the risks arising from the increased number and size

of aircraft using the airport.

Finance Committee of the Legislative Council has just approved funds

for the project.

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The new station will replace the existing one which came into operation

years ago.

A government apokesman said today that the present station to the

west of the runway would be cut off from the rest of the airport by construction

works on the airport tunnel road. It was therefore necessary to resite the station

permanently.

At the same time the number and type of appliances will be increased

to deal with the situation that now exists at the airport.

He pointed out that in 1959, the first year after the existing station

was completed, there were some 22,000 aircraft movements and about 1,800 helicopter

novements on the runway,

This relatively low level of utilisation meant that there was no

significant delay to fire appliances wishing to cross the runway.

However, by 1971 the number of aircraft movements had risen to 73,000,

added to which there were 29,000 helicopter movements.

He said the resulting frequency of aircraft movements could lead to

critical delays in reaching a fire on the apron, as a response must be made

within two minutes of the outbreak of a fire to have any chance of success.

The spokesman

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