XN000022-1979-10-21 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1979

+ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES IS THAT THE SOLAR CELLS ARE CAPABLE OF RECHARGING ITS BATTERY THAT OPERATES THE LIGHT, HE SAID. *THE PRIMARY CELLS OF CONVENTIONALLY POWERED BEACONS HAVE TO BE CHANGED ANNUALLY.+

+THE MODULE HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND TO BE CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING VIGOROUS MARINE ENVIRONMENT, HE ADDED.

THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THAT THERE WAS AN AUTOMATIC BULB CHANGER INCORPORATED IN THE MODULE THUS MINIMISING MAINTENANCE.

+AT CURRENT PRICES, THE CAPITAL COST OF THE SOLAR GENERATOR IS LESS THAN THE COST OF TWO YEARS' SUPPLY OF PRIMARY CELLS REQUIRED TO OPERATE A CONVENTIONALLY POWERED LIGHT,+ THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+A COST ANALYSIS STUDY HAS SHOWN THAT AN ANNUAL RECURRENT SAVING OF $7 000 CAN BE ACHIEVED BY UTILISING THE SOLAR MODULE,+ HE ADDED.

MEANWHILE, FOR ECONOMICAL REASONS, THE DEPARTMENT'S NAVIGATIONAL AIDS SECTION HAS DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED ITS OWN POWER CELLS FOR THE 94 QUICK FLASHING RED LIGHTS INSTALLED ON OUTLYING DISTRICT PIERS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

$3.8 MILLION FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT DUE

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THE FIRE SERVICES FIRE-FIGHTING AND RESCUE CAPABILITIES WILL BE FURTHER ENHANCED WHEN $3.8 MILLION WORTH OF EQUIPMENT ARRIVE LATE THIS YEAR AND EARLY NEXT YEAR.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY) THAT THE EQUIPMENT COMPRISE ONE $1.6 MILLION 37-METRE TURNTABLE LADDER APPLIANCE AND TWO 15-METRE SNORKEL APPLIANCES COSTING ABOUT $2.2 MILLION.

HE SAID THE NEW TURNTABLE LADDER APPLIANCE, WHICH IS DUE TO ARRIVE IN DECEMBER, WOULD BRING TO SEVEN THE NUMBER OF SUCH APPLIANCES IN SERVICE. THE TWO SNORKEL APPLIANCES WOULD ARRIVE IN

EARLY JANUARY.

THE NEW TURNTABLE LADDER APPLIANCE IS SPECIALLY FITTED WITH WIND-GAUGE TO COUNTER THE DANGER POSED BY FREQUENT WIND GUSTS IN SOME PARTS OF HONG KONG. IT IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A REMOTE CONTROL CAGE FOR SMOOTH OPERATION AT VARIABLE HEIGHTS.

+THIS TYPE OF APPLIANCE IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS IN HONG KONG, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

MEANWHILE, THE SENIOR ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEER OF THE DEPARTMENT, MR. POON NAI-HSI WILL MAKE A SPECIAL TRIP TO WEST GERMANY AND ENGLAND ON FRIDAY (OCTOBER 26) TO INSPECT AND TEST THE APPLIANCES BEFORE SHIPMENT. HE WILL ALSO MAKE SURE THE EQUIPMENT WILL ARRIVE ON SCHEDULE.

/DURING HIS