ENG-1959 — Page 340

LOCAL FORCES AND CIVIL DEFENCE SERVICES

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emergency. It is built up around the Medical and Health Depart- ment, the St. John Ambulance Brigade and other members of the medical and nursing professions. In addition, many people with no previous training in nursing and first aid have been enrolled and trained to act as auxiliary nurses in hospitals or as first aid workers in the field. The unit is now several thousands strong. During 1959 training classes have been attended with keenness and valuable practical experience has been obtained by many members attending week-end training in the casualty ward at Queen Mary Hospital.

The Civil Aid Services are responsible for all civil defence functions not covered by the other emergency services, and com- prise a Wardens' Service, a Rescue Service, a Communications Unit, and other command and administrative units. The service, several thousands strong, has not increased in numbers during 1959, but members, of whom the vast majority are volunteers, are markedly keen.

Joint Exercises, in which the Civil Aid Services and the Auxiliary Medical Service co-operate, and which were started in 1958 to replace the Colony-wide annual civil defence exercise, have increased in scope and importance during the year.

Over 1,000 members were mobilized during the rainstorm in mid-June 1959 and provided considerable assistance to the Police and Fire Brigade in dealing with landslides, house collapses and flooded areas.