XN000022-1992-11-30 — Page 7

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1992

GOVT WILL INVEST IN EMERGENCY SERVICES: FS

THE

GOVERNMENT WILL. CONTINUE ΤΟ INVEST IN ESSENTIAL AND

EMERGENCY SERVICES TO ENSURE THAT HONG KONG EFFICIENT PLACE IN WHICH TO LIVE, TO VISIT, ΤΟ INVEST, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR HAMISH (MONDAY).

REMAINS A SAFE AND DO BUSINESS AND TO MACLEOD, SAID TODAY

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE FIRE SERVICES COMMUNICATION CENTRE, MR MACLEOD SAID THE COMPUTERISED CENTRE COST OVER $100 MILLION TO BUILD AND EQUIP.

"BUT GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EMERGENCY SERVICES TO OUR COMMUNITY, I MUST SAY THAT THIS MONEY IS WELL SPENT, HE SAID.

THE COMMUNICATION CENTRE RECEIVES CALLS FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND WITH THE HELP OF THE COMPUTER, IDENTIFIES THE LOCATION OF INCIDENTS AS WELL AS THE NEAREST FIRE APPLIANCES AND AMBULANCES, DESPATCHES THEM TO THE SCENE.

IT IS THE NERVE CENTRE OF ALL FIRE SERVICES ACTIVITIES.

—

THE AND

"NO DOUBT, THE ADVENT OF THIS SOPHISTICATED AND MODERN COMMUNICATION CENTRE AND WITH IT A MUCH MORE EFFICIENT MOBILISATION WILL SUBSTANTIALLY BOOST THE DEPARTMENT'S SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC," HE SAID.

SYSTEM

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HE ALSO PRAISED THE FIRE SERVICES FOR BEING NOTED FOR THEIR PROFESSIONALISM, DEDICATION, AND ESPRIT DE CORPS.

"DESPITE THE EVER INCREASING CALLS FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES, THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO RESPOND SPEEDILY, ** HE SAID.

"IN OVER 80 PER CENT OF ALL FIRE AND SPECIAL SERVICES CASES ATTENDED TO LAST YEAR, FIVE SERVICES PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO REACH THE SCENES WITHIN GRADED RESPONSE TIMES.

TOWNS.

"THAT IS TO SAY SIX MINUTES IN BUILT-UP URBAN AREAS AND

"IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCE CALLS, OVER 90 PER CENT SUCH CALLS WERE ATTENDED TO WITHIN THE TARGET TRAVEL TIME OF MINUTES," HE NOTED.

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OF

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MR MACLEOD SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED TO LEARN THAT THE DEPARTMENT WAS GEARING UP ITS EFFORTS TO TRY AND ATTEND EVEN MORE CALLS THE STANDARD RESPONSE TIMES UNDER THE GOVERNMENT'S PERFORMANCE

PROGRAMME.

THE TARGET SET FOR 1992/93 WILL BE 85 PER CENT FOR FIRE AND 91.5 PER CENT FOR EMERGENCY AMBULANCE CALLS, ACCORDING PROGRAMME.

WITHIN PLEDGE

CALLS

TO

THE

/THESE PLEDGES