XN000022-1982-11-27 — Page 5

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1982

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PUBLIC SUPPORT NEEDED IN PREVENTING FIRES

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THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS WAGED A WAR AGAINST FIRE FOR YEARS, BUT IF THIS +CONTINUOUS AND ON-GOING BATTLE+ IS TO BE WON, THE SERVICES OF EVERY HONG KONG RESIDENT HAVE TO BE ENLISTED

IN PREVENTING FIRE.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE CHIEF FIRE OFFICER, KOWLOON, OF THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, MR M. KINGDOM TODAY (SATURDAY) WHEN HE LAUNCHED A FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IN THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT AT THE WONG TAI SIN DIVISIONAL FIRE STATION.

MR KINGDOM WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE NEWLY-FORMED DISTRICT BOARDS HAD READILY ACCEPTED THEIR ROLE OF RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS AREA.

HE SAID, +1 HAVE SEEN IN MY TRAVELS AROUND KOWLOON, MANY INSTANCES OF WHERE THE COMBINED RESOURCES OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, UTILITIES AND OTHER BODIES WORKING TOGETHER UNDER DISTRICT BOARD MANAGEMENT HAVE ERADICATED PARTICULAR BLACK SPOTS OF POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARDS.+

MR KINGDOM DESCRIBED THE WONG TAI SIN DISTRICT FIRE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN AS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE READINESS OF ALL THE BOARD MEMBERS TO ACCEPT THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY.+

+ BUT PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WE CANNOT HAVE A CAMPAIGN OF TWO WEEKS DURATION AND THEN LET THE MATTER REST THERE, HE SAID.

+PREVENTION IN ANY FIELD OF OPERATIONS WHETHER IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICE, HEALTH SERVICES, KEEPING HONG KONG CLEAN ETC. IS A CONTINUING EXERCISE THAT MUST BECOME A DAILY ROUTINE,

HE POINTED OUT THAT SO FAR THIS YEAR, 4 700 FIRES INCLUDING 51 MAJOR ONES HAD OCCURRED IN KOWLOON.

+MOST COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF ONLY PEOPLE HAD NOT BEEN CARELESS OR BEEN MORE PREVENTIVE IN THE WAY THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES IN THEIR HOMES, OFFICES AND FACTORIES, HE ADDĘD.

THE WONG TAL SIN ASSISTANT DISTRICT OFFICER, MR STEPHEN FISHER, WHO ALSO OFFICIATED AT TODAY'S OPENING CEREMONY, SPOKE OF THE DISTRICT'S EFFORTS IN PREVENTING FIRES IN SQUATTER AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS.

HE SAID THAT THE FIRE WATCH TEAMS FORMED IN LOCAL SQUATTER AREAS HAD PERFORMED WELL IN MANY FIRES AND MANAGED TO STOP THE FIRES FROM SPREADING BEFORE FIREMEN ARRIVED.

TO BACK UP THEIR EFFORT, THE DISTRICT BOARD HAD ALLOCATED FUNDS TO ACQUIRE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND LOUD HAILERS FOR THEM.

/EFFORTS PADS