Fire_Services_1963-1964 — Page 14

33. The Central Training School at Sek Kong when completed will provide the medium to correct existing deficiencies, but some years will pass before the Service, the business community and the public generally will reap any benefits.

34. Fires in factories and other buildings used for such purposes continued to increase, and the wide variety of materials used, many of which are incompatible with the use of water for extinguishing purposes, has shown up on too many occasions the lack of technical knowledge of members of the rank and file.

35. Good leadership has so far prevented a major loss of life amongst Fire Service personnel whilst fighting fires, whereas these events make periodic and depressingly prominent headlines in the press elsewhere. The enormous and unending variety of materials used in modern industry makes it essential in the avoidance of life losses that all ranks should be recalled to a training school for a month every 18 at least for refresher technical training. With the availability of a temporary Officers Training School there have been improvements in the standard of training for junior officers, the effect of which is becoming noticeable at operations, and Station management.

36. The development and maintenance of fire prevention measures continues to demand higher standards of technical knowledge to ensure the provision and maintenance of effective measures for safety of the occupants in buildings yet to be built, and the sensible application of statutory powers in respect of unacceptable risks in existing buildings. Examples of the latter have appeared when powers granted early in 1964 to Abate Hazards have involved officers in long and protracted negotia- tions with owners, architects and engineers due to the very considerable sums of money which are involved.

TRAINING (EXTERNAL)

37. Officers from various units of the Service have given training in a variety of Fire Service subjects to students of the Faculty of Architec- ture; Senior Staff Course and Inspectors Advanced Courses of the Police Force; staff of Oil Storage and Distribution Companies; Hotel Staff; Government Workshops staff; Schools, Police Traffic personnel; Boy Scouts Association members; Kaifongs; Lions Club; and to members of the public on street corners through the medium of public address equipment.

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