XN000022-1976-07-15 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JULY 15, 1976

C.A.S. MOUNTAIN RESCUERS COMPLETE TRAINING IN U.K.

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THE CIVIL AID SERVICES PLANS TO RUN MOUNTAIN CRAFT COURSES FOR YOUTH LEADERS LATER THIS YEAR.

DISCLOSING THIS TODAY, A CAS SPOKESMAN SAID FIVE OFF ICERS FROM THE MOUNTAIN RESCUE UNIT HAD JUST COMPLETED THEIR ADVANCED TRAINING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.

THEY ARE THE FIRST MOUNTAIN RESCUERS SENT ABROAD TO RECEIVE FURTHER TRAINING IN MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESCUE AND MOUNTAIN CRAFT.

THE GROUP, WHICH LEFT HONG KONG IN MAY, FIRST ATTENDED A MOUNTAIN LEADERSHIP COURSE IN GRANTOWN, SCOTLAND, BEFORE RECEIVING ANOTHER WEEK OF MOUNTAIN RESCUE TRAINING IN THE SCOTTISH TOWN OF KINLOSS.

FROM SCOTLAND, THEY WENT TO NORTH WALES WHERE THEY RECEIVED FURTHER TRAINING IN MOUNTAIN RESCUE AND MOUNTAIN CRAFT.

THE TRAINING WAS CARRIED OUT WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF THE RAF LAND RESCUE SERVICE AND THE UK CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR PHYSICAL RECREATION.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID: THE OFFICERS WHO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR TRAINING WILL PASS ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE TO OTHER MEMBERS OF CAS ON THEIR RETURN.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT AS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO GO HIKING WAS ON THE INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS WOULD INEVITABLY GO UP.

+ IT IS IMPORTANT, THEREFORE, CAS MOUNTAIN RESCUERS SHOULD BE TRAINED IN THE MOST MODERN TECHNIQUES IN ORDER TO COPE WITH THE SITUATION,+

AT PRESENT, THE CAS MOUNTAIN RESCUE UNIT CONSISTS OF 56 MEMBERS. THEY ARE TRAINED TO RESCUE PEOPLE WHO ARE INJURED, TRAPPED OR BECOME LOST ON MOUNTAINS. IN ADDITION, THEY ARE TAUGHT HOW TO RESCUE SURVIVORS FROM AIR CRASHES IN REMOTE AREAS.

ON SUNDAYS AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE MOUNTAIN RESCUE UNIT ARE ON STANDBY DUTY AT THE CAS KOWLOON TRAINING CENTRE AT 204 ARGYLE STREET, KOWLOON FROM 10 A.M. TO 9.30 P.M. THEY CAN BE CONTACTED ON TELEPHONE NOS. 3-015011 OR 3-016030.

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