Sessional_Paper_1949 — Page 30

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undoubtedly increased efficiency. At the date of the fire, the Brigade was almost at its full authorized strength of approximately 325 ranks up to and including sub- officers, an increase of more than 50% over the pre-war figure. It was suggested to us that an 8-hour watch system would be more efficient, and there is no doubt that it would have been in the circumstances of the Wing On Fire, but the introduction of 8-hour watches would entail a considerable further increase of staff and expendi- ture. We have already stated that the Wing On Fire was of an altogether exceptional nature, and the Chief Officer in his evidence informed us that none of the major out- breaks of the past, even that at the Hong Kong and China Gas Company's premises, had in his recollection exceeded in duration six hours. We do not think therefore that we should be justified in recommending an alteration in a system which has otherwise worked satisfactorily, merely because of the happenings at the Wing On Fire. We are fortified in this opinion by the fact that a 24-hour on or off system is considered efficient in the United Kingdom. It is true that there is a strong movement to intro- duce an 8-hour watch system, but this movement springs primarily from the demand for a 48-hour working week, though the claim is also rightly made that it would be more efficient. We reiterate that the Fire Brigade equipment and personnel should not be based on the recurrence of an event such as the Wing On Fire.

Proposal to Establish an Auxiliary Fire Service:

96. It would be wrong altogether to exclude such a recurrence and we therefore devoted some attention to a suggestion by the Fire Insurance Association that the Government should establish an Auxiliary Fire Service on the lines of the Police Reserve. This was a useful and attractive proposal which at first sight commended itself to the Chief Officer, but on full consideration we cannot recommend it as a prac- ticable proposal. The prime grounds for its rejection are that the utility of such a service would be in the early stages of a big fire, the period of greater strain and fatigue for firemen. At such a period, auxiliary firemen, unless kept in a state of mobilization, would be most difficult to bring to the scene of the fire, and, unless their presence could be assured, it would be useless to make plans in advance based on their co-operation. Training would be arduous and would make considerable demands on time, whereas the incentive to achieve efficiency would be lacking owing to the rare occurrence of fires at which their services could be utilized. These same arguments may be used against the establishment of any auxiliary disciplined force, but we think that they are of particular cogency in regard to an Auxiliary Fire Service. An Auxiliary Fire Service would of course be of value if a state of emergency were declared, and if it were held in mobilized reserve.

Recall of Firemen who are off duty at the time of a big fire:

97. Although we do not recommend the formation of an Auxiliary Fire Service, we suggest that attention should be given to devising a scheme for recalling in emer- gency firemen who are off duty, if the watch which answers the call has to remain on duty for more than eight hours. It is clearly impracticable to provide accommodation for all firemen and their families at their duty-station, so that their absence from the station area when off duty is inevitable. We see no reason however why in a real emergency an outgoing watch should not return to duty after 8, rather than 24 hours' rest. If such a scheme had existed before the Wing On Fire, the watch which went off duty after nine o'clock during the fire could have been instructed to report back at 5 o'clock in the afternoon if not to the fire area itself at least to the Police Station nearest their homes, whence further instructions could be issued to them. There are other practical difficulties connected with recall whilst off duty, but we do not consider these to be insurmountable.

Works' Fire Brigades:

98. The Hong Kong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company and a small number of factories have their own Works' Fire Brigades, who are available to deal with fires on the spot in their own work places and to render trained assistance to the Fire Brigade on its arrival. The formation of such brigades was welcomed by the Chief Officer, who advocated their extension. The training resources of the Colony's Brigade was at the disposal of firms who wished to form their own Works Brigade, and we recommend to godown proprietors that they give serious consideration to the estab- lishment of their own brigades on a small scale.

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