XN000022-1978-03-24 — Page 5

FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1978

CAS RESCUERS TO TRAIN IN U.K.

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FIVE OFFICERS OF THE CIVIL AID SERVICES' MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESCUE UNIT WILL UNDERGO ADVANCED TRAINING IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE LATEST TECHNIQUES IN MOUNTAIN SEARCH AND RESUCE.

THE GROUP LEAVES IN MAY AND IS THE SECOND TEAM OF CAS PERSONNEL TO UNDERGO SUCH TRAINING. THE FIRST GROUP WENT THROUGH A TOUGH SERIES OF COURSES IN 1976.

COMMENTING ON THE NEED FOR ADVANCED TRAINING OF THESE OFFICERS, MR. JOHN FORTUNE, CAS CHIEF STAFF OFFICER SAID: +REGRETTABLY, AS MORE AND MORE YOUNG PEOPLE TAKE TO THE HILLS TO GO HIKING AND CLIMBING, THE NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS WILL INCREASE. IT IS THEREFORE IMPORTANT THAT HONG KONG'S MOUNTAIN RESCUERS SHOULD BE TRAINED IN THE MOST MODERN AND ADVANCED TECHNIQUES IN ORDER TO HANDLE ANY EMERGENCY SITUATION WHICH MAY ARISE.+

THE FIVE OFFICERS WILL BE TRAINED IN THE RUGGED MOUNTAINS OF WALES AND SCOTLAND FOR TWO MONTHS AND WILL THEN UNDERGO SEVERAL WEEKS OF OPEN SEA CANOE TRAINING.

THE TRAINING COURSES IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WILL BE CARRIED OUT WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE LAND RESCUE SERVICE AND THE U.K. CENTRAL COUNCIL FOR PHYSICAL RECREATION.

IN ANOTHER EFFORT TO ENHANCE ITS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY, THE CAS MOUNTAIN RESCUE UNIT HAS RECENTLY ADDED THE LATEST BÉLL RESCUE STRETCHER TO ITS ARRAY OF EQUIPMENT.

IT IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND TO BE USED OUTSIDE EUROPE.

THE BELL STRETCHER WEIGHS ONLY 21 LBS AND CAN BE WINCHED TO A HOVERING HELICOPTER DURING AIR RESCUE MISSION. IT CAN BE SEPARATED INTO THREE PARTS FOR EASY AND SPEEDY TRANSPORTATION OVER MOUNTAINS TO THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT. IT IS ALSO SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN USUAL MOUNTAIN RESCUE STRETCHERS TO ACCOMMODATE TALLER CASUALTIES.

MR. FORTUNE SAID THAT THE NEW STRETCHER WOULD BE IDEALLY SUITED FOR MOUNTAIN RESCUE OPERATIONS IN HONG KONG, AS ACCIDENTS IN OUR HILLS NORMALLY OCCURRED OVER TERRAINS WHERE MOVEMENT OF BULKY AND HEAVY EQUIPMENT WOULD ADD DIFFICULTIES TO THE RESCUING GROUP,

PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY WERE TRAVERSING MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT OR IN LOW LYING CLOUDS WHEN HELICOPTERS COULD NOT BE USED TO TRANSPORT HEAVY EQUIPMENT TO THE SITE OF ACCIDENT.

ACCORDING TO MR. CHENG SUNG-NGAR, COMMANDER OF THE 56 MEMBER ÇAS MOUNTAIN RESCUE UNIT, MORE BELL STRETCHERS WILL BE PURCHASED IN THE FUTURE, BUT THE EXISTING OLDER STRETCHERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED.

HE SAID THE UNIT, APART FROM CARRYING OUT RESCUE DUTIES, ALSO PROVIDES BRIEFING TO YOUTH GROUP LEADERS AND FACTORY GROUP ORGANISERS ON HOW TO PLAN A SUCCESSFUL HIKE INTO THE HILLS AND WHAT TO DO IN AN EMERGENCY. BRIEFINGS ARE GIVEN ON SUNDAYS, AND THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED MAY CALL TEL. NO. 3-015011.

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