Fire_Brigade_1958-1959 — Page 20

AMBULANCE SERVICE

32. The Brigade has a fleet of twenty ambulances, two of which were purchased during the year under review. These ambulances are operated from the following fire stations:

Hong Kong ...

Central Fire Station

Eastern Fire Station

Kowloon

New Territories

Western Fire Station

North Point Fire Station

Kowloon Fire Station

Terminus Fire Station

Ma Tau Chung Fire Station Tsuen Wan Fire Station Yuen Long Fire Station Tai Po Fire Station

33. Ambulances answered 18,401 emergency calls involving 19,536 patients and 23,531 made routine removals involving 29,690 patients. The total mileage for both services was 395,567 for the year. Charges are made for removals and the revenue collected amounted to $52,445.00.

34. Compared with the previous year, emergency calls registered an increase of 1,562 calls received and 1,448 patients removed, whilst removals showed an increase of 2,875 calls and 3,599 patients. A detailed summary of calls received and number of patients conveyed is shown in Appendix III.

TRAINING

35. Officers recruited to the following grades continued to receive training as follows:

Sub Officers

Firemen

Firemen /drivers Seamen

>A

34 months

3 months

1 month 14 months

The purpose of training is to ensure that newly appointed officers become efficient in discharging their duties. The subjects include lectures in firemanship in addition to practical drills. Instructors for these courses are qualified Sub Officers and Station Officers. At the end of the course an examination is held by Divisional Officers consisting of practical and oral examinations. For Sub Officers a written examination is also given. Officers who fail to pass the examinations are given further periods of training. Repeated failure in examinations may result in the termination of the service of the recruit concerned.

36. Elementary English Classes are arranged each year for selected firemen. These classes are held at the Central and Kowloon Fire

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