Fire_Services_1965-1966 — Page 15

the Service will be under-staffed as training inadequacies have made it necessary to curtail requests for additional staff.

44. A large proportion of the Service is under-trained and lacks experience in depth due to rapid expansion over the last few years. Major staff increases at this time therefor would elevate and over- burden supervisory planes, outstrip economically acceptable training appropriations, increase the superficiality of local staff training but above all would give a dangerously false sense of security in both fire fighting and fire prevention fields.

45. Whilst the standard of officership in the Fire Officer Class III grade is improving and this grade is well leavened with officers who have already demonstrated potential for ultimate promotion to senior posts, it requires a minimum of five years training and experience to reach the standard required for promotion to Fire Officer Class II, and less than 50% of the Fire Officer Class III establishment have more than two years service. Thus there will be a shortage of Fire Officers Class II for some years even allowing for accelerated advancement of outstanding officers and it has, therefore, been necessary to continue recruitment (on temporary appointment) of experienced expatriate officers.

46. For many years we have been unable to attract sufficient trained fire officers from overseas principally because expatriate fire officers on appointment to Hong Kong Fire Service lost all pensionable service in their country of domicile and are statutorily prevented from re-joining their home country fire service except by starting again as a fireman. After many years of negotiations a formula has been evolved by which British fire officers can be seconded to Hong Kong for a three year tour without any loss of pensionable service, and it is hoped that the first group of 'seconded' officers will arrive in Hong Kong early in the 1966-67 financial year.

BUILDING ACCOMMODATION

47. Although there has been little actual improvement under this subhead since my predecessor's two previous annual reports, the Fire Service building programme is now gathering momentum, and within the forthcoming year it is anticipated that the following premises will be commissioned:

(i) The new Fire Service Headquarters, Workshops and Stores at

North Point.

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