XN000022-1973-04-21 — Page 4

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Saturday, April 21, 1973

Teams of information officers are allocated to vital departmenta

to ensure a continual flow of up-to-the-minute material for the news

Mobile teams also keep in contact with GIS to supply on-the-spot

accounts of latest developments.

services.

All government departments, together with the armed services,

voluntary agencies and public utilities, such as the ferry and bus companies,

liaise through GIS to keep up with events and co-ordinate rescue and

relief work.

The Marine Department is heavily committed whenever the port is

threatened by tropical cyclones, and its Port Communications Centre, on top

of the Rumsey Street multi-storey car park, serves as the clearing house for

all information concerning effects on shipping and harbour installations.

Typhoon Shelters

On the approach of a storm, all typhoon shelters are patrolled by

Marine Department craft to ensure utilisation and the maintenance of fire

lanes and fairways up to the last possible moment.

The harbour is patrolled by a fast launch, manned by the department's

Harbour Patrol Service to offer assistance and advice, mainly to ocean-going

vessels, until weather conditions force the launch to shelter. In conjunction

with this service, the Port Communications Centre allocates typhoon moorings

and records the movements of vessels during the storm.

Information and

assistance with casualties is also dealt with by the centre.

All launches are in direct contact with the signal tower, and with each

other, by means of VHF radio, as are tugs and some other commercial craft,

together with Fire Services, Marine Police, Port Works, Commerce and Industry,

Port Health and Immigration departments.

/A contracted ...............