XN000022-1975-02-05 — Page 20

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1975

AMBULANCEMEN ANSWERED RECORD NUMBER OF CALLS

THE AMBULANCE COMMAND OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS BROKEN THROUGH THE FOUR HUNDRED CALLS PER DAY BARRIER AFTER COMING CLOSE ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS.

DURING THE 24-HOUR PERIOD ENDING AT 7.00 A.H. TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE COMMAND ANSWERED A TOTAL OF 412 CALLS, WHICH IS MORE THAN 17 PER HOUR.

OF THE CALLS, 281 (OR 68.2 PER CENT) WERE EMERGENCY AND 131 NON-EMERGENCY.

KOWLOON DIVISION ANSWERED 201 CALLS, HONG KONG DIVISION 143 AND NEW TERRITORIES DIVISION 68.

THE PREVIOUS HIGHEST NUMBER OF CALLS WAS 393 RECEIVED SHORTLY BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

HR. G. DOORE, CHIEF AMBULANCE OFFICER, SAID HE EXPECTED THE UPWARD TREND TO CONTINUE AND, FOR THIS REASON, THE NUMBER OF AMDULANCES AND DEPOTS WAS BEING INCREASED.

+WE ARE GETTING A FURTHER FIVE AMBULANCES IN MAY AND AN ADDITIONAL EIGHT IN NOVEMBER,◊ MR. DOORE SAID. +THIS WILL BRING OUR FLEET TO 99 AMBULANCES.+

DURING 1975, DEPOTS WILL BE OPENED AT MOUNT DAVIS AND CHAI VAN ON HONG KONG ISLAND.

ÁR. DOORE REVEALED THAT AHDULANCEMEN VERE DEING TRAINED TO INCREASINGLY HIGH STANDARDS AND THAT THE RANGE OF FACILITIES ON AMBULANCES WOULD CONTINUE TO EXPAND.

+VE HAVE EVEN GOT MEN ON DETACHMENT TO THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT LEARNING HOW TO DEAL WITH EMERGENCY CHILD BIRTH PROBLEMS, HE SAID.

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