XN000022-1975-06-25 — Page 5

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 1975

BUSY YEAR FOR AMBULANCE SERVICES

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THE AMBULANCE COMMAND OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT ANSWERED A TOTAL OF 110,203 CALLS DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.

ACCORDING TO THE 1974/75 ANNUAL DEPARTMENTAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, IT WAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF CALLS EVER RECORDED.

THE COMMAND RECEIVED 61,950 EMERGENCY CALLS AND 48,253 NON-EMERGENCY CALLS, MAKING A TOTAL OF 110,203 DURING 1974/75. THE FIGURE FOR 1973/74 WAS 105,127 SHOWING AN INCREASE OF NEARLY FIVE PER CENT DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR.

THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED EACH DAY WAS ABOUT 300, BUT THE REPORT POINTED OUT THAT ON MANY OCCASIONS THE NUMBER OF CALLS THAT THE COMMAND RECEIVED FAR EXCEEDED THIS FIGURE.

THE AMBULANCE COMMAND HAS A FLEET OF 86 AMBULANCES AND THERE ARE NINE DEPOTS/STATIONS. THE REPORT REVEALED THAT FIVE MORE AMBULANCES WILL BE ADDED TO THE PRESENT FLEET AND MORE DEPOTS ARE DUE TO OPEN IN 1975/76.

DURING THE YEAR, A NUMBER OF NEW FACILITIES WERE INSTALLED IN ALL THE AMBULANCES INCLUDING PIPED OXYGEN, PORTABLE INCUBATORS AND PAIN-KILLING GAS.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, THE WORKLOAD OF THE AMBULANCE HAS BEEN INCREASING IN THE PAST YEARS. BETWEEN 1970/71 AND . 1974/75, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 29 PER CENT IN EMERGENCY CALLS AND 48 PER CENT IN NON-EMERGENCY CALLS. THE NUMBER OF TOTAL CALLS HAS INCREASED BY 36 PER CENT AND THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS BY 47 PER CENT.

GYMNASTICS DAY AT KAU U FONG

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ABOUT 500 CHILDREN IN CENTRAL WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN SOME GYMNASTIC EXERCISES THIS SUNDAY (JUNE 29) AT KAU U FONG WHEN IT IS TURNED INTO A PLAYSTREET.

THIS IS THE FIRST IN A SERIES OF FOUR DIFFERENT PROGRAMMES ON RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUBS ASSOCIATION. ABOUT 500 CHILDREN ARE EXPECTED TO TURN UP ON EACH OCCASION.

THE EVENT ON SUNDAY IS A JOINT VENTURE OF THE KAU U FONG PLAYSTREET COMMITTEE, THE RECREATION AND SPORTS OFFICE (WESTERN), AND THE BOYS' AND GIRLS' CLUBS ASSOCIATION.

STUDENTS AND STAFF OF NORTHCOTE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION WILL BE ON HAND TO GUIDE THE CHILDREN AND GIVE A GYMNASTIC DEMONSTRATION.

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