ENG-1985 — Page 265

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PUBLIC ORDER

services including casework counselling, hostel accommodation, employment guidance, recreational activities, as well as caring for discharged prisoners who have a history of mental illness.

Refugees

At the end of 1985, there were 4 438 Vietnamese refugees detained in closed centres managed by the department compared with 5 654 in the previous year. Chi Ma Wan Closed Centre and Hei Ling Chau Closed Centre house south Vietnamese and north Vietnamese respec- tively. This separation was made necessary following conflict and unrest between the two groups. In March, Bowring Closed Centre at Tuen Mun was opened to relieve overcrowd- ing at Chi Ma Wan and Hei Ling Chau. The centre accommodates about 1 400 refugees from both north and south Vietnam who have been carefully selected for their ability to live in harmony with each other. In September, Chi Ma Wan Closed Centre was extended by converting the adjacent Chi Ma Wan Prison to provide additional accommodation and facilities for the refugees.

The Save the Children Fund, World Relief and the Salvation Army provide social services, including educational classes and recreational activities, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has continued to meet the considerable cost of food, medical supplies, utilities and relief items for the refugees. Further developments in vocational training are in hand.

Fire Services

The Fire Services Department responded to and dealt with 348 221 emergencies in 1985 = 14 722 fire calls, 9 594 special service calls and 333 905 ambulance calls. Fires caused 29 deaths, and left a further 630 people injured; of the injured, 36 were firemen_Some 975 persons were rescued by the Fire Services. Of the 4 877 false alarms, the great majority were raised with good intent, either by the public or by over-sensitive or defective automatic alarm systems, particularly smoke detectors.

Buildings and Quarters

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Under the government policy to provide an emergency response to all areas within minimum set times according to the category of risk, four new fire stations were commissioned during the year. These are at Tai O on Lantau Island, Sai Wan Ho and Cotton Tree Drive on Hong Kong Island, and Kowloon Bay. There are now 46 fire stations, 18 ambulance depots and five fireboat stations in the territory. Others are included in the Public Works Programme for future construction.

At the end of the year, more than 2 069 staff quarters were occupied or available for occupation. Planning was in hand for 50 officers' married quarters and 1 726 additional married quarters for firemen and ambulancemen at five selected sites.

Fire Prevention

The department is responsible for enforcing fire safety regulations. It also advises and assists all sections of the community with regard to fire protection measures generally and in the abatement and elimination of fire hazards. The Fire Protection Bureau plays an important role in educating the public on fire prevention. Publicity campaigns launched during the year increased the community's awareness of fire safety, resulting in requests for more fire prevention lectures, exhibitions and demonstrations from kaifong associations, rural com- mittees, schools and community groups. The number of complaints (7 867) received from