XN000022-1992-05-23+24 — Page 6

5

SUNDAY, MAY 24, 1992

"YOU CAN GET SATISFACTION AND

A SENSE OF SUCCESS FROM CAS WORK, MR LAM SAID, ADDING THAT IT NOT ONLY GAVE THE YOUTH AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THEMSELVES, BUT ALSO PROVIDED THEM WITH DIFFERENT WAYS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

THE

"MEMBERS FOSTER A SENSE OF BELONGING AS WELL AS A SENSE OF DUTY. THIS LEADS TO CO-OPERATION AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND RESIDENTS."

FINANCED BY THE GOVERNMENT, CAS AT PRESENT HAS 3,800 ADULT VOLUNTEERS AND 3,200 CADETS, ALMOST REACHING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 3,818 ADULTS AND 3,232 CADETS.

MR LAM SAID CAS REGULARLY CARRIED OUT PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES WITH A SPECIAL RECRUITMENT EXERCISE LAUNCHED EVERY SUMMER TO ATTRACT SCHOOL LEAVERS TO JOIN THE SERVICES.

HE SAID YOUTHS IN HONG KONG HAD BECOME MORE CIVIC-MINDED. THIS COULD BE REFLECTED BY THE FACT THAT AN AVERAGE OF 130 PEOPLE INCLUDING 50 ADULTS AND 80 YOUNGSTERS JOINING THE SERVICES EVERY MONTH LAST YEAR,

ANYONE WHO IS OVER THE AGE OF 16 (THOSE WHO ARE UNDER 18 HAVE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM PARENTS OR GUARDIANS) CAN APPLY TO JOIN THE ADULT SERVICE. THE AGE FOR JOINING THE CADET CORPS IS 12.

ONCE THEY HAVE PASSED A MEDICAL EXAMINATION, THEY WOULD BE ACCEPTED AS MEMBERS.

NEW RECRUITS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING CONDUCTED IN EVENINGS, OVER WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS FOR A PERIOD OF SIX MONTHS ΤΟ ACQUIRE BASIC KNOWLEDGE ON FIRST-AID, CASUALTY HANDLING AND FOOTDRILL.

ON COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING COURSE, THEY WOULD BE DEPLOYED TO DIFFERENT UNITS AND WOULD RECEIVE FURTHER TRAINING, HE ADDED.

IT HAS BEEN A FAMILIAR FACE TO SEE CAS MEMBERS AND CADETS ON DUTY IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY.

THEY ARE EASILY RECOGNISABLE IN THEIR FAMILIAR BLUE UNIFORMS, CONTROLLING CROWDS AT FESTIVAL TIMES, PATROLLING THE COUNTRY PARKS AND GENERALLY BEING PRESENT AT A WIDE VARIETY OF CIVIC FUNCTIONS.

THEY HAVE ΤΟ RESCUE VICTIMS FROM COLLAPSED AND DANGEROUS BUILDINGS, MUDSLIDES AND ROCK FALLS.

THEY ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF BRIDGE-BUILDING AND THEY PROVIDE THE ONLY RECOGNISED MOUNTAIN RESCUE SERVICE IN THE TERRITORY. FOREST FIRE FIGHTING, OIL POLLUTION AND TYPHOON RESPONSE ARE OTHER AREAS OF EXPERTISE.

ALSO, CAS CAN HANDLE MASS EVACUATION, REGISTRATION AND FEEDING OF HOMELESS DISASTER VICTIMS.

IN ADDITION, THEY MAY ALSO RESPOND TO ANY MASS INFLUX OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND WOULD BE REQUIRED TO SET UP AND MANAGE HOLDING CENTRES. THEY ALSO HELP IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VIETNAMESE

SEEKERS.

ASYLUM

0

16