XN000022-1975-07-17 — Page 2

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THURSDAY, JULY 17, 1975

FIRE SERVICES GET BETTER EQUIPMENT

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HONG KONG'S FIRE SERVICES, RECOGNISED AS ONE OF THE BEST- EQUIPPED IN THE WORLD, IS FURTHER IMPROVING ITS FIRE-FIGHTING AND RESCUE CAPABILITY WITH THE LATEST FIRE APPLIANCES AVAILABLE.

A 91-FOOT SNORKEL AND SEVEN 50-FOOT SNORKELS, AMONG OTHER NEW EQUIPMENT, WILL ARRIVE DURING THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR,

THREE 50-METRE (ABOUT 170 FEET) LADDERS FOR USE IN FIGHTING FIRES AND CARRYING OUT RESCUE OPERATIONS IN TALL BUILDINGS ARE DUE TO ARRIVE TOWARDS THE END OF 1976. THESE LADDERS, NOW BEING BUILT IN WEST GERMANY, COST A TOTAL OF $3.7 MILLION.

IN A REVIEW, THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR. HARRY WOOD, DESCRIBED THE 1974/75 FINANCIAL YEAR AS +AN EXCELLENT YEAR AS REGARDS PURCHASES OF APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT, IN SPITE OF THE ECONOMIC SITUATION.+

+THE MOST MODERN EQUIPMENT WILL ENHANCE THE FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE CAPABILITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT, HE SAID.

A NUMBER OF MAJOR ITEMS WERE BOUGHT INCLUDING 11 NEW PUMP/ESCAPE TENDERS EACH FITTED WITH 55-FEET LADDERS AS WELL AS A 85-FEET SNORKEL AND ONE 100-FEET TURNTABLE LADDER. THESE ITEMS COST $4.23 MILLION.

OTHER PURCHASES INCLUDED A HOSE LAYER ($50,000), THREE CANTEEN VANS TO PREPARE MEALS FOR FIREMEN ENGAGED IN FIGHTING LONG FIRES ($60,000 EACH), TEN LIGHT RESCUE UNITS ($60,000 EACH), A BREATHING APPARATUS TENDER ($90,000) AND AN EMERGENCY TENDER ($90,000). ALSO PURCHASED WERE THREE LIGHTING TENDERS AT A TOTAL COST OF $240,000.

DURING 1974/75, 66 NEW FIRE-FIGHTING AND ANCILLARY ITEMS WERE BROUGHT INTO SERVICE BRINGING TO 477 THE TOTAL NUMBER OF APPLIANCES/VEHICLES IN SERVICE.

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