ENG-1984 — Page 287

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PUBLIC ORDER

ambulances from 18 ambulance depots or stations throughout the territory and from many fire stations. During the year, a total of 314 017 calls, involving 419 420 people, were handled - an average of 860 calls every 24 hours. This represented an increase of 3.5 per cent in the number of calls compared with the total for 1983.

Appliances and Workshops

To enable fire-fighting and rescue operations to be conducted in an efficient manner, the Fire Services Department is equipped with nearly 700 operational fire appliances, ambu- lances and vehicles fitted with modern fire-fighting and rescue equipment.

In 1984, 21 new or replacement appliances and vehicles of various kinds were put into service. To maintain its fleet of fire appliances and rescue equipment, the department operates three workshops located on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and in the New Territories.

Staff Training

All recruits except those in the specialist communications ranks of senior firemen (control) and senior firewomen (control) are trained at the Fire Services Training School at Pat Heung in the New Territories. The courses vary in content and last from eight to 26 weeks. The training of senior firemen (control) and senior firewomen (control) is conducted at the Fire Services Communication Centre in Kowloon by instructors from the Training School. During the year, 183 recruits successfully completed initial training.

The school also conducted fire protection courses for senior station officers and station officers; refresher courses for ambulance personnel; and basic courses on fire fighting, fighting fires on ships and on the use of breathing apparatus for government departments and private organisations in Hong Kong and for the Macau Fire Brigade. Some 2073 people attended these courses during the year. The Driving Training School conducted courses for 750 officers and other ranks.

Establishment and Recruitment

The uniformed establishment of the Fire Services Department at the end of 1984 totalled 5 874. The number of civilian staff employed by the department increased to 575. A number of recruitment exercises were held, resulting in the appointment of 29 officers and 295 firemen and ambulancemen. Standards are high and on average only about five per cent of all applicants are accepted for appointment.,