XN000022-1974-04-07 — Page 4

4

SUIDAY, APRIL 7, 1974

DIAL 999 IF YOU SEE A FICE

**

DON'T STAND AROUND WATCHING IF YOU SEE A FIRE: CALL THE

FIRE BRIGADE INMEDIATELY BY DIALLING 999, A FIRE SERVICES SP-

OKESMAN URGED TODAY.

HE SAID MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT THE SCENE OF A FIRE SOMETIMES ASSUMED ANOTHER PERSON HAD RAISED THE ALARM AND, AS A RESULT, DELAY OCCURRED IN THE ARRIVAL OF FIRE APPLIANCES AT

-THE SCENE.

+THE FIRE SERVICES WOULD RATHER GET A DOZEN CALLS RELATED

TO ONE FIRE THAN NONE AT ALL+, HE DECLARED. WE ALL HAVE A

RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE.+

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THERE WERE OCCASIONS WHEN THE FIRE

SERVICES HAD BEEN CRITICISED FOR NOT GETTING TO A FIRE QUICKLY

/ ENOUGH, BUT IT GENERALLY TURNED OUT THAT THERE HAD EITHER BEEN DELAY IN REPORTING THE FIRE, OR PEOPLE LIVING OR WORKING IN THE BUILDING HAD ONLY TELEPHONED THE FIRE SERVICES WHEN IT HAD GOT

OUT OF HAND.

THE SPOKESMAN STATED: THE SOONER WE ARE CALLED, THE SOONER WE CAN SET ABOUT GETTING THE BLAZE UNDER CONTROL. ANY DELAY IN CONTACTING US INCREASES THE THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY, ESPECI-

ALLY IN HONG KONG WHICH IS SO CROWDED.+

HE SAID THE 999 SYSTEM WAS SOLELY FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT

AND, PROPERLY USED, IT WAS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY OF GETTING

HELP FROM THE FIRE OF AMBULANCE SERVICES OF THE POLICE.

*THE 999 EMERGENCY CALL SYSTEM IS NOW BEING MORE WIDELY USED, HE NOTED, +BUT THERE ARE STILL TOO MANY INSTANCES OF IT

NOT BEING OPERATED TO THE BEST EFFECT.+

15