XN000022-1986-05-30 — Page 10

FRIDAY, MAY 30, 1986

+THESE API'S ARE SCREENED ON TELEVISION AT APPROPRIATE SEASONS TO GIVE TIMELY ADVICE TO THE PUBLIC, HE ADDED.

DR LAM SAID HIS COMMITTEE WAS PRODUCING A NEW AP! THIS YEAR "OVERING THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF CANOE ING TOGETHER WITH A NEW EDITION F THE + STEPPING OUT BOOKLET GIVING GENERAL SAFETY HINTS ON MANY POPULAR OUTDOOR SPORTS, AND POSTERS ON RECREATION SAFETY.

ALSO SPEAKING AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WORK ING PARTY ON THE 1986 WATER SPORTS SAFETY CAMPAIGN, MR J.A. FORTUNE, STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, CARE AND COMMON SENSE TO THOSE TAKING PART IN ANY FORM OF WATER SPORTS.

+ IT IS ALWAYS WORTH REMEMBERING THAT THE SEA DOES NOT FORGIVE PEOPLE WHO MAKE MISTAKES, HE SAID.

+ THE ONLY WAY TO NARROW THE ODDS IN YOUR FAVOUR IS TO SEEK PROPER ADVICE, TRAIN AND LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PARTICULAR SPORT YOU ARE TAKING UP, AND EXERCISE COMMON SENSE.+

MR FORTUNE SAID THE NEED TO HAVE THE MEDIA'S FULL SUPPORT IN SPREADING THE COMMITTEE'S +PLAY SAFE+ MOTTO AS THE WATER SPORTS SAFETY CAMPAIGN WAS AN ON-GOING ONE AND FREQUENT PUBLICITY WAS MOST ESSENTIAL.

TALKING ON LAND SPORTS SAFETY, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE WORKING PARTY ON THE 1986 LAND SPORTS SAFETY CAMPAIGN, MR P.E. BIRNEY, SAID THAT WHILE LAND-BASED SPORTS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE INTRINSICALLY LESS RISKY THAN WATER-BASED ONES, PEOPLE DID FALL OFF ROCKS IN HILL CLIMBING, OR GOT LOST IN THE HILLS IN HIKING.

MR BIRNEY SAID HE BELIEVED THAT IGNORANCE, THE SHEER LACK OF CARE, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH, WERE THE PRIME CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS.

TO ATTRACT PUBLIC ATTENTION, THE SAFETY IN OUTDOOR PURSUITS COMMITTEE IS TO STAGE TWO MAJOR SAFETY CAMPAIGNS TO EMPHASISE ITS +PLAY SAFE+ MESSAGE.

THE FIRST OF THESE, THE 1986 WATER SPORTS SAFETY DAY, TO BE HELD AT THE EAST TSIM SHA TSUI PROMENADE ON SUNDAY (JUNE 1), IS TO PROMOTE THE SAFETY MESSAGE THROUGH A VARIETY OF WATER SPORTS ACTIVITIES INCLUDING AN AIR-SEA RESCUE DEMONSTRATION USING HELICOPTERS.

THE DAY WILL START WITH A COLOURFUL SEA PARADE INVOLVING 60 VESSELS INCLUDING ROYAL NAVY SHIPS, POLICE LAUNCHERS AND SAILING VESSELS.

THE NEXT BIG ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR WILL BE THE LAND SPORTS SAFETY DAY TO BE HELD IN THE WINTER.

THE SAFETY MESSAGE TO BE DELIVERED THEN WILL BE DIRECTLY TO SPECIFIC GROUPS AND AGENCIES WHICH ARE IN A POSITION TO INSTRUCT OR TRAIN PARTICIPANTS IN LAND SPORTS. IT IS HOPED THAT THROUGH THEM. THE +PLAY SAFE+ MESSAGE WILL BE SPREAD TO ALL LAND-BASED SPORT PARTICIPANTS.

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