ENG-1961 — Page 341

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LOCAL FORCES AND CIVIL DEFENCE SERVICES

the medical and nursing professions, but many people with no previous training in nursing and first aid have also been enrolled and trained to act as auxiliary nurses in hospitals or as first aid workers in the field.

In August the cholera epidemic reached such proportions that the Director of Medical and Health Services found it necessary to institute an isolation centre for cholera 'contacts' to cope with the flood of people whose isolation was essential in order to minimize the risk of spreading the disease. The task of running this isolation centre fell on the Auxiliary Medical Service. The response to the emergency was excellent. There was not a single instance of reluctance on the part of a member to undertake duty in the isolation centre, nor of any employer refusing to release an Auxiliary Medical Service member from his usual employment. The Civil Aid Services are responsible for all the civil defence functions not covered by the other emergency services. They include three Command Units, a Warden Service with posts throughout the urban area, a Rescue Service, a Despatch Service equipped with motor scooters, an Accommodation Unit, and several administrative units. The membership is 5,500 men and women, all of whom are volunteers. All strength lost during the year has been made up by voluntary recruitment.

Most members train on one or two evenings a week, and take part in live exercises with the Auxiliary Medical Service. In keeping with their name, the Civil Aid Services stand ready to aid the community during and after fires, floods and other disasters. Members turned out voluntarily on many occasions during the year.

The Auxiliary Fire Service, an autonomous unit of the Essential Services Corps, is designed to assist the regular Fire Services in peace-time and in an emergency. Members of the Auxiliary Service total over 660 men and women, out of an approved strength of 832. They man their own appliances during weekly platoon training under the supervision of regular Fire Services Department officers, and work on water relays, week-end station duty, full-day and half-day exercises, a pump operators' course, driving instruction, and control and watch-room operating. The AFS is also called out to help the Fire Services to fight serious fires and at 'special service' incidents such as landslides and collapses of buildings during rain storms and typhoons.