XN000022-1979-08-17 — Page 4

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1979

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FIREMEN SAVE COMMUNITY FROM LOSING

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ANNUALLY - RECRUITS TOLD

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HONG KONG FIREMEN SAVE THE COMMUNITY FROM LOSING MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EVERY YEAR MUCH MORE THAN THE COST OF MAINTAINING THE DEPARTMENT,

THIS WAS SAID TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CHIEF FIRE_OFFICER (ISLAND), MR. LEONARD WORRALLO AT A PASSING-OUT PARADE OF 44 FIREMEN AND 17 AMBULANCEMEN AT THE FIRE SERVICES TRAINING SCHOOL IN PAT HEUNG.

+NOT SO VERY LONG AGO A VERY SERIOUS FIRE OCCURRED IN A 10-STOREY KWAI CHUNG FACTORY BUILDING AND CAUSED $1.3 MILLION DAMAGE TO THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS,+ MR. WORRALLO SAID.

+THE COURAGE, TENACITY AND EXPERTISE OF THE FIREMEN RESPONDING TO THE EMERGENCY ENABLED THE FIRE TO BE CONTAINED AND EXTINGUISHED BEFORE IT COULD SPREAD TO THE UPPER FLOORS, HE SAID.

THE VALUE OF THE WHOLE BUILDING WAS AT LEAST $20 MILLION AND THUS THE SAVING FROM THIS ONE FIRE ALONE WAS SOME $18 MILLION, HE ADDED.

HE TOLD THE RECRUITS 1+YOU WILL OFTEN FIND YOURSELF PLACED IN EXTREME DANGER, HAZARDOUS, OBNOXIOUS, DISTRESSING AND UNPLEASANT CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMONPLACE.

+YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO FACE CONDITIONS WHICH OTHER MEN FEAR AND STILL BE REQUIRED BY YOUR DUTY TO CARRY ON,+ HE CONTINUED.

BUT MR. WORRALLO TOLD THE GRADUATES HE WAS SURE THEY WOULD SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH TRADITIONAL CONFIDENCE, COURAGE AND SUCCESS.

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