ENG-2007 — Page 379

Public Order | 323

Fire-fighting and Rescue

Of the 31 638 fire calls received in 2007, eight were classified as major fires. (No.3 alarm and above). Careless handling or disposal of smoking materials was the major cause of fires in 2007 accounting for a total of 2 000 fires. Accidents occurring during the preparation of foodstuffs caused 1941 fires, and electrical faults, 781 fires. False alarms, caused mainly by faulty automatic alarm systems or poor positioning of such systems, contributed to about 65 per cent of the total number of fire calls.

The department also provides a wide range of rescue services for incidents such as traffic accidents, people being trapped in lifts or locked in rooms, gas leaks, house collapses, flooding, landslides, industrial accidents and attempts by people to jump from heights. The department handled 22 083 of such special service calls in 2007.

Ambulance Services

The Ambulance Command handled 611 707 calls during the year, or on average 1 676 calls per day. Its fleet of ambulances is fully equipped and manned at paramedic level.

The department continues to train front-line firemen to become first responders to provide basic life saving support to casualties and patients while ambulance crews are making its way to the scene. During the year, first responders dealt with 38 917 cases in which people needed urgent help.

Communications

The Fire Services Communications Centre, manned round the clock, is responsible for mobilising all fire-fighting and ambulance resources to provide timely fire and ambulance services to the community. The centre is also responsible for receiving complaints about fire hazards and dangerous goods. It acts as an emergency coordinator for other government departments and public utilities during large-scale emergencies or major calamities.

The centre is equipped with a sophisticated telecommunication and computer integrated mobilising system the Third Generation Mobilising System - to enhance

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the efficiency of mobilising fire and ambulance resources.

Fire Safety

The Fire Safety Command draws up fire safety policies and formulates fire safety measures for buildings and mass transit systems. It also devotes much of its effort to upgrading arrangements and procedures to protect old buildings from fires and to raise people's awareness of fire safety.

The Commercial Buildings and Premises Division enforces the Fire Safety (Commercial Premises) Ordinance with the aim of upgrading fire safety measures in prescribed commercial premises and specified commercial buildings. A total of 11 455 building inspections were conducted in 2007, and 804 Fire Safety Directions and 4 705 Fire Safety Improvement Directions were issued to 5 509 owners or occupiers of these premises and buildings.