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HONG KONG ANNUAL REPORT

service, but also contains an element of others normally employed in non-essential industries or departments who would be called upon to assist in maintaining these various essential undertakings, if the need for their services arose. The Corps is now several thousand strong.

The Auxiliary Fire Service, an autonomous Unit of the Essential Services Corps, is designed, as the name implies to augment the Fire Brigade when necessary. It is a well trained, keen and efficient body some hundreds strong which has frequently been called upon to assist the Fire Brigade in fighting serious fires.

The Auxiliary Medical Service is organized to provide first-aid and hospital treatment for the population of the Colony in an emergency. It is built up around the Depart- ment of Medical and Health Services, the St. John Am- bulance Brigade, and other members of the medical and nursing professions. In addition, many people with no pre- vious training in nursing, first-aid, etc. have been enrolled as members, and have been trained to act as auxiliary nurses in hospitals or as first-aid workers in the field. The Unit is now several thousand strong and of constantly improving efficiency.

The Civil Aid Services are responsible for all civil defence functions not covered by the other emergency services, and comprise a Wardens' Service, a Rescue Service and other units, on orthodox civil defence lines. The members of the Civil Aid Services, which are now several thousand strong, are markedly keen. More volunteers are coming forward than can be trained.

In addition to the regular training programmes of the various Services which comprise the Essential Services Corps, a Colony Civil Defence Exercise lasting for a day is held annually and provides an opportunity for testing com- mand and communications and for co-ordinating the func- tions of these Services in the field.

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