Fire_Services_1964-1965 — Page 48

CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE

203. As more than 1,000 members of the Fire and Ambulance Services hold no membership of any Union or Association a 'Co- ordinating Committee for Conditions of Service' was established during the year under review. The objectives of this Committee, the membership of which is selected at station level, and is under the Chairmanship of a Senior Commander, is to co-ordinate all views and representations on matters of common interest regarding conditions of service generally, thus avoiding non-members of Unions or Associations being driven to membership merely on the grounds that their views cannot be represented en masse to the Director. This Committee did a particularly fine job of co-ordinating the views of all ranks of the Service for presentation to the 1965 Salaries Commission.

APPRECIATION

204. It is inevitable that members of the Fire Service gain the head- lines following Fire Service operations. No Fire Service Annual Report would therefore be complete without acknowledging the debts which the Service owes to so many Departments of Government and private organizations.

205. In planning for public safety generally and at major fires and house collapses, the Government Building Surveyor and his colleagues undertake unknown to the public a vital and often dangerous role. Without the advice and practical help of the Government Chemist and his Deputy the Department could not maintain the high standard existing in the matter of dangerous goods storage. On more than one occasion the Deputy Government Chemist has donned breathing appa- ratus equipment at particularly difficult incidents involving dangerous goods exposing himself to considerable danger in the interest of the public and to the benefit of the Fire Service personnel.

206. Fires on ships are probably one of the most complicated operational tasks in fire engineering. Without the attendance and advice from senior officers of the Marine Department it is extremely unlikely that the Hong Kong Fire Service would enjoy its high international reputation in the matter of ship fires.

207. The fact that the Service in general has the continuing support of the public is almost entirely due to the indefatigable efforts of the Information Services on the one hand and the press and radio on the

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