ENG-1993 — Page 346

PUBLIC ORDER

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addition, prosecutions for obstructing the means of escape in buildings resulted in 150 convictions, with total fines of $0.6 million.

The department also imposes fire service requirements for new buildings, to ensure compliance with fire safety standards. Some 7 502 submissions of building plans, including the new airport-related projects, were processed during the year.

Appliances and Workshops

The department operates some 700 modern appliances and vehicles, fitted with up-to-date fire-fighting and rescue equipment. During the year, 49 new or replacement appliances and vehicles of various kinds were put into service. These included a new pumping appliance with excellent road-holding characteristics and manoeuvrability. A smaller rescue launch, which can carry out fire-fighting and rescue operations in shallow waters, was provided to the Airport Fire Contingent by the Civil Aviation Department.

The Workshops Section of the department is constantly evaluating new products from different parts of the world, to see if they can be used locally.

The safety of service members in fire-fighting and rescue operations is a prime concern of the department. A total of 6 500 fire-resistant gloves of better quality were procured by the Stores and Supplies Section during the year, for the use of operational personnel. In addition, 22 sets of the Rapid Intervention System, a multi-functional handy tool, were provided for service members, to facilitate rescue work.

Staff Training

The department has two major training schools. The Fire Services Training School at Pat Heung, New Territories, provides initial training for all ranks. The Ambulance Command Training School at Ma On Shan provides initial, refresher and advanced training to all ambulance personnel. The various training courses range from three to 26 weeks in duration.

Altogether, 345 recruits comprising 50 station officers, eight senior firemen (control), five senior firewomen (control) and 282 firemen successfully completed their initial training in 1993.

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The Fire Services Training School also provided training to 745 staff of other government departments and private organisations on basic fire-fighting and the use of breathing apparatus. In response to requests from fire services of other countries, the school provided training for their officers. The Ambulance Command Training School provided training to 46 staff of other government departments on basic ambulance aid and to 13 officers from other countries.

To meet operational needs and for career development purposes, 29 officers were sent to China, Singapore, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Japan for management and professional training. In-service training was provided to 128 fire and 2 635 ambulance personnel.

The Driving Training School conducted appliance driving and operation courses for 743 officers and other ranks.

Establishment and Recruitment

At the end of 1993, the department had an establishment of 7 281 and 733 for uniformed and civilian staff, respectively. The department continued its recruitment exercise with the