ENG-1995 — Page 348

PUBLIC ORDER

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techniques, courses for recruit Station Officers cover incident command-and-control elements.

The Ambulance Command Training School also offers refresher and advanced training to all ambulance personnel. The Fire Services Training School gave 1 734 staff of other government departments and private organisations training on basic fire-fighting and the use of breathing apparatus. Training courses were conducted for fire and police officers from Brunei, Thailand and Macau during the year.

After a tragic fire at Yue Wan Estate in Chai Wan, the department arranged special one-day fire-fighting and fire prevention courses for about 180 staff members of the Housing Department.

In-service training was provided to 509 fire and 1 341 ambulance personnel, while 24 officers were selected to attend various overseas training programmes in the UK, the USA, Japan, Canada, Germany and China. The department appointed 26 station officers, 17 senior firemen and firewomen (control) and 198 firemen during the year.

Joint Border Exercise

A joint fire-fighting and rescue exercise involving Shenzhen Fire Brigade and Hong Kong Fire Services was held in Fook Tin District, Shenzhen, on October 18. This was the first time the neighbouring fire brigades had enjoyed an opportunity to co- operate in an exercise designed to exchange professional skills and experience, to enhance cross-border emergency co-ordination links and to become familiar with their counterparts' operational procedures and equipment. The exercise established a direct link between the two brigades which may now be developed. More than 150 fire and ambulance personnel from both sides took part.

The department established further contacts with its Chinese counterparts through visits and work attachments during the year. These contacts help promote a mutual understanding of the available professional expertise and technology and the department will continue to widen these exchanges.

Buildings and Quarters

In line with government policy to provide an emergency response to all areas within minimum set times according to the category of risk, the department continues to plan and build fire stations and ambulance depots at strategic locations to cope with local developments.

At the end of the year, there were 65 fire stations, 29 ambulance depots/stations and 15 fireboat stations in the territory. The Fire Services manages a total of 3 352 quarters, of which 3 079 are for other ranks uniformed officers. These include 320 new quarters at the Tseung Kwan O Fire Services Married Quarters. The Ngau Chi Wan quarters project is under way and scheduled for completion by late 1996.

Public Liaison Group

The Public Liaison Group was set up in 1994 to encourage public participation in monitoring and improving the delivery of fire emergency services, and to foster better understanding between the public and the department. It will enter its third term in April. Thirty members of the public were selected from more than 100 applicants by a random draw 10 each from Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories geographical areas.