XN000022-1978-04-08 — Page 4

SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1978

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MAC'S CAN IMPROVE FIRE PREVENTION

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MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION, MR. ALAN JONES, CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, NEW TERRITORIES, SAID THIS (SATURDAY) EVENING AT THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF THE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES FOR TAI WO HAU INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS IN TSUEN WAN.

MR. JONES SAID ALTHOUGH THE FORMATION OF MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES CHIEFLY AROSE FROM A DESIRE FOR COLLECTIVE CONTROL OF PREMISES TO PREVENT CRIME AND IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT CONTROL, THE FIRE SERVICES BELIEVED THAT MAC'S COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION.

+ IN OUR VIEW THIS IS MOST DESIRABLE AND OF SPECIAL BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY, HE STATED.

HE CALLED ON THE MANAGEMENT TO CO-OPERATE WITH THE FIRE SERVICES AND TO AVOID OR MINIMISE FIRES AND OTHER INCIDENTS THAT MIGHT RESULT IN DISASTER TO THEIR BUSINESS. HE POINTED OUT THAT ABOUT 30 PER CENT OF BUSINESSES WHICH SUFFERED A SEVERE FIRE CLOSED DOWN WITHIN A YEAR.

+WHERE WE USUALLY COME INTO CONFLICT IS WHEN THE LAWS OF HONG KONG ARE CONTRAVENED, LAWS WHICH IN OUR CASE ARE ENACTED FOR THE SAFETY FROM FIRE OF ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY,+ MR. JONES EXPLAINED.

+IT IS NOT JUST FOR PEOPLE WORKING IN INDIVIDUAL FACTORIES, OFFICES OR SHOPS, IT IS FOR EVERYONE WHO MAY BE AT RISK IF CERTAIN PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ARE NOT CARRIED OUT.+

HE NOTED THAT WHEN A SERIOUS FIRE OCCURRED IN A MULTI-STOREY BUILDING IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THE COST OF DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING PREMISES COULD COLLECTIVELY EXCEED THAT OF THE UNIT INITIALLY INVOLVED.

+SUCH A PROSPECT IS NOT ONLY SELFISH, TOTALLY UNECONOMIC TO YOU AS BUSINESSMEN AND THE COMMUNITY, BUT DANGEROUS TO US ALL,+ MR. JONES SAID.

AS A FIREMAN, HE ADDED, THE PROBLEM HE HAD TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WAS THE NEED TO GAIN ACCESS.

+WHEN WE ENTER A BUILDING WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY TO MEET A SITUATION WHICH CAN RANGE FROM SIMPLICITY TO HIGHLY COMPLICATED LITTLE RISK TO EXTREMELY DANGEROUS- COMMON PLACE TO VERY DISTRESSING AND BE READY AS MEMBERS OF A TEAM TO DO OUR JOB AND LOOK AFTER EACH OTHER, + MR. JONES SAID.

MR. JONES SAID FIREMEN TODAY ARE IT WOULD TAKE HIM HOURS TO LIST THEM. MATERIALS, PROCESSES AND MACHINERY ARE AND EFFECTS OF FIRE GROW IN MANY WAYS,

FACED WITH SO MANY RISKS THAT AS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES, NEW INTRODUCED AND THE RESULTS HE ADDED.

/HE CITED