XN000022-1982-01-28 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1982

FIREMEN COMMENDED FOR RECENT EFFORT

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THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER OF KOWLOON COMMAND, MR ANTHONY CONWAY, TODAY (THURSDAY) PRESENTED THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER'S COMMENDATION TO 11 FIREMEN FOR THEIR INITIATIVE, DETERMINATION AND RESOURCEFULNESS+ IN FIGHTING A FOURTH ALARM FIRE IN LAM TIN SQUATTER AREA EARLY THIS MONTH.

*THE IR ACTION PLAYED A VERY SIGNIFICANT PART IN SUCCESSFULLY CHECKING AND EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE AT TWO CRITICAL AREAS, + MR CONWAY SAID IN A PRESENTATION CEREMONY.

THE RECIPIENTS, INCLUDING A PRINCIPAL FIREMAN, A SENIOR FIREMAN AND NINE FIREMEN WERE COMMENDED FOR FIGHTING THE FIRE UNDER VERY DIFFICULT TERRAIN AND OVER THE ROOFTOPS OF SQUATTER HUTS THROUGH A NETWORK OF LIVE ELECTRICAL WIRING.

+CN BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT, MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG, MAY I SAY 'THANK YOU TO YOU ALL, + MR CONWAY ADDED.

THE PRESENTATION CEREMONY, HELD AT THE TSIM SHA TSUI FIRE STATION IN CANTON ROAD, WAS ALSO ATTENDED BY OTHER SENIOR FIRE OFFICERS FROM VARIOUS FIRE STATIONS IN THE KOWLOON DIVISION.

KEEPING THE WATER FLOWING ***

THE HIGHWAYS OFFICE HAS CLEARED MORE THAN 1 250 KM OF OPEN NULLAH SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE CLEAN HONG KONG CAMPAIGN LAST OCTOBER.

WITH A FLEET OF POWER SHOVELS, CLEANSING TEAMS HAVE REMOVED ABOUT 5 900 LORRY LOADS OF SAND, SILT AND RUBBISH FROM THE NULLAHS, WHILE WORKERS ON FOOT HAVE BEEN BUSY DIGGING UP THE UNDER BRUSH THAT PERENNIALLY SPROUTS UP ALONG THE BANKS OF MOST NULLAHS.

+WE'VE SPENT ABOUT $3.22 MILLION ON THE OPERATION TO DATE, SAID A HIGHWAYS SPOKESMAN, +AND WE STILL HAVE 3 900 KM TO CLEAN BEFORE THE END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR.+

+BUT IF WE DIDN'T KEEP THESE WATERCOURSES CLEAR,+

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HE CONTINUED, THE OFTEN-FILTHY WATER COULD BACK UP AND OVERFLOW THE BANKS.+

THE WATER IS OFTEN FOUL BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVING ALONG THE BANKS AND PEOPLE LIVING UPSTREAM THOUGHTLESSLY TOSS THE IR RUBBISH INTO NULLAHS, HE SAID.

+THIS IS A SERIOUS HEALTH HAZARD WHEN THE WATER IS STANDING,+ HE SAID, AND WHEN THE WATER FLOWS MOST OF THE FILTH WILL EVENTUALLY END UP IN THE HARBOUR.+

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