ENG-1980 — Page 201

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PUBLIC ORDER

Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society The Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society is a voluntary agency, established in 1957, for the care and rehabilitation of discharged prisoners. The society provides a wide range of services, both before and after release, and operates a Volunteers' Scheme to assist prisoners' families to solve domestic problems such as baby-sitting, homework coaching, visits and escort services. During 1980, the society arranged a number of recreational activities in institutions including variety shows, sports fixtures and film shows. These were well received and assisted in building a good relationship between prisoners and the society.

Fire Services

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The Fire Services Department responded to and dealt with 240,585 emergencies in 1980, of which 13,213 were fire calls, 6,315 special service calls and 221,057 ambulance calls. Fires caused 37 deaths, including that of a fire officer, and left a further 699 other people injured. Of the injured, 120 were firemen. A total of 947 people were rescued and hundreds of others were led to safety by firemen.

False alarm calls numbered 4,106, of which the great majority were raised with good intent --

either by the public or by ultra-sensitive automatic alarm systems.

Buildings and Quarters

Under the department's development programme to provide an emergency response to all areas within minimum set times and according to the category of risk, two new fire stations and one regional headquarters building were commissioned during the year. These were the Sha Tin Divisional Fire Station, the City Fire Station on Hong Kong Island and the New Territories Fire Command Headquarters. The total number of fire and ambulance depots is now 54. Others have been included in various categories of the Public Works Programme and in private developers' projects for construction over the next few years.

At the end of the year, more than 1,940 departmental quarters were occupied or available for occupation. Construction work on 480 additional married quarters for firemen and ambulancemen will start as soon as funds are made available.

Communications System

The Centralised Communication Centre, which has been in operation since 1979, has proved successful in reducing the response times of emergency vehicles. Through efficient mobilising of resources, fire appliances are able - in most cases - to reach locations in the urban area within the target time of six minutes of being called; most ambulances arrive within 10 minutes.

Improvements were made to the radio system during 1980 by the provision of new sets which operate on a higher VHF frequency than the old obsolete ones. New repeater stations were also installed to give the main stations a better coverage.

Fire Prevention

The department is responsible for enforcing fire safety regulations. It also advises and assists all sections of the community in the abatement and elimination of fire hazards.

Publicity campaigns increased the community's awareness of fire safety during the year and as a result there were requests for more fire prevention lectures, exhibitions and demon- strations - frequently conducted in association with kaifongs, rural committees and other community groups. The task of educating the public on fire dangers and methods of prevention is an important part of the department's work.