XN000022-1977-11-05 — Page 6

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 1977

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COMPUTERISED SYSTEM TO SPEED

UP MOVEMENT OF FIRE APPLIANCES

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS BEEN USING A COMPUTERISED SYSTEM KNOWN AS THE +GREEN WAVE+ TO ASSIST IN THE MOVEMENT OF FIRE APPLIANCES RESPONDING TO CALLS

IN WESTERN KOWLOON.

THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONTROL THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS ALONG CERTAIN DESIGNATED ROUTES BY SWITCHING THEM TO GREEN

IN ADVANCE OF THE ARRIVAL OF THE FIRE APPLIANCES THEREBY REDUCING THE TRAVEL TIME FROM A FIRE STATION TO THE SCENE OF A FIRE.

FOUR FIRE STATIONS KOK AND CHEUNG SHA WAN

TSIM SHA TSUI, YAU MA TEI, MONG

ARE INCLUDED IN THE SYSTEM.

THEY COVER MOST OF THE WESTERN PART OF NATHAN ROAD AND THE AREAS BOUNDED BY HING WAH STREET IN THE NORTH AND SALISBURY STREET IN THE SOUTH.

EACH IS ASSIGNED A NUMBER OF SELECTED ROUTES THROUGH WHICH FIRE APPLIANCES SHOULD PROCEED TO THE VARIOUS AREAS WHERE THERE MAY BE A FIRE.

THE COMPUTER WHICH OPERATES THE SIGNALS IS HOUSED IN THE TRAFFIC CONTROL AND SURVEILLANCE UNIT IN THE KOWLOON GOVERNMENT OFFICES. IT HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED TO SWITCH ON A GREEN SIGNAL AT MORE THAN 100 TRAFFIC LIGHTS IN THE AREAS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM.

EXPLAINING THE OPERATION OF THIS NEW SYSTEM, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT SAID +ON RECEIPT OF A CALL AT THE CONTROL CENTRE, THE DUTY OFFICER WILL INFORM THE STATION CONCERNED THROUGH A SOPHISTICATED TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK.

+WHEN CONFIRMATION OF FIRE APPLIANCES LEAVING THE STATION IS RECEIVED, THE OFFICER WILL IMMEDIATELY OPERATE THE PUSH-BUTTON SWITCH WHICH CONTROLS THE ROUTE TO BE USED.+

THIS WILL CHANGE THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS ALONG THE ROUTE IN ADVANCE.

THE SIGNALS WILL REMAIN GREEN SUFFICIENTLY LONG TO ENABLE THE APPLIANCES TO PASS THROUGH.

J

+HOWEVER, THE SPOKESMAN SAID, SHOULD APPLIANCES BECOME OUT OF PHASE WITH THE GREEN WAVE DUE TO DELAY FOR ANY REASON, THE OFFICER-IN-CHARGE OF THE APPLIANCES CAN REQUEST THE CONTROL CENTRE FOR A REPEAT ROUTE TO FREE THEM FROM THE TRAFFIC.+

THE SPOKESMAN DESCRIBED THE SYSTEM AS A TIME AND MONEY SAVING DEVICE.

+THIS SAVING OF TIME IN TRAVELLING IS MOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE SOONER FIREMEN ARRIVE AT THE SCENE THE QUICKER THE FIRE WOULD BE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL AND THE LESS CASUALTIES AND LOSS OF PROPERTY.+

THE SYSTEM WILL BE EXTENDED TO COVER OTHER PARTS OF KOWLOON AS WELL AS HONG KONG ISLAND IN FUTURE.

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