XN000022-1981-06-26 — Page 7

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 1981

$10M SHATIN FIRE STATION OPENED

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THE NEW TERRITORIES FIRE COMMAND IN SHATIN WAS TODAY OFFICIALLY OPENED BY THE DIRECTOR OF FIRE SERVICES, MR FREDERICK WATSON,

THE COMMAND, BUILT AT A COST OF OVER $10 MILLION, ALSO ACCOMMODATES A MAJOR FIRE STATION AND AN AMBULANCE STATION.

SHATIN, KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH QUALITY RICE FOR CHINESE EMPERORS IN THE PAST, IS TODAY A THRIVING MODERN URBAN AREA WITH HIGH-RISE BUILDINGS AND FACTORIES.

IN OPENING THE COMPLEX, MR WATSON RECALLED THE DAY WHEN HE ATTENDED THE OPENING OF SHATIN'S FIRST FIRE STATION ON SEPTEMBER 5, 1956 WITH ONLY A LANDROVER TYPE OF FIRE APPLIANCE AND NINE MEN.

+F IRE AND AMBULANCE PROTECTION HAS BEEN INCREASED TO KEEP PACE WITH THE ADDITIONAL RISKS AND INCREASED POPULATION, MR WATSON SAID.

+THIS NEW COMPLEX, COSTING OVER $10 MILLION, IS THE FIRST OF THREE PLANNED FOR THE SHATIN AREA AS PART OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEVELOPMENT PLANS TO MEET EVER INCREASING NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

+IT ACCOMMODATES THE NEW TERRITORIES FIRE COMMAND HEADQUARTERS, A MAJOR STATION AND AMBULANCE DEPOT. IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE IT WILL ALSO ACCOMMODATE A SECTION OF THE FIRE PROTECTION BUREAU PREVIOUSLY CENTRALISED ON HONG KONG ISLAND.+

HE SAID THAT BY ESTABLISHING REGIONAL FIRE PROTECTION BUREAU OFFICES IN SHATIN AND ELSEWHERE, THE NEEDS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES AND OTHER AREAS WOULD BE SERVED MORE QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY.

+EACH 24 HOURS APPROXIMATELY 50 OFFICERS AND MEN WILL MAN THE VARIOUS APPLIANCES AND AMBULANCES STATIONED HERE, THE DIRECTOR SAID.

+THE COMPLEX AND OFFICERS MANNING IT ARE HERE TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE AREA AND ITS PEOPLE IN THE EVENT OF FIRE OR OTHER CALAMITY. SOME OF THE MEN SERVING HERE WILL LIVE IN THE NEW RESIDENTIAL QUARTERS NOT TOO FAR AWAY.

→ HOPE IT WILL ALWAYS BE A HAPPY AND EFFICIENT COMPLEX AND I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES TO ALL WHO ARE MANNING IT TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE, HE SAID.

LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY OF SHATIN FIRE STATION, MR WATSON SAID THE OLD COMPLEX, LEASED TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE SHATIN RURAL COMMITTEE, SERVED THE COMMUNITY WELL FOR 19 YEARS.

HE SAID THE STATION MORE THAN JUSTIFIED ITSELF IN 1962 ALONE WHEN SHATIN MARKET AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS WERE FLOODED TO A DEPTH OF SEVERAL FEET BY A TIDAL SURGE DURING THE PASSAGE OF TYPHOON WANDA.

/+THE FIRE