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Patients with minor illnesses or injuries are urged to make their own way to hospital instead of using an ambulance.
The appeal was made by the Director of Fire Services, Mr Lam Chun-man, at the opening ceremony of the Ambulance Service Promotion Day 2005.
Mr Lam said that the public when calling for an ambulance should consider that someone whose life may be at stake might need an ambulance response more urgently.
He added that the public's cooperation could help increase the chance of survival for critical patients.
"An increases of resources alone will not meet the ever-growing demand for ambulance services," Mr Lam said.
"A number of measures are being explored to ensure that we can maintain the quality and efficiency of the emergency service," he said.
"These include commissioning a study to look at the feasibility of implementing a priority dispatch system in Hong Kong," he added.
Mr Lam pointed out that in many developed countries ambulance calls are triaged with different response targets in accordance with the nature and seriousness of the patient's condition.
Critical cases will be given top priorities to increase the patients' survival rate while cases of minor injuries or illnesses may not receive immediate ambulance responses.
"The system has been proven successful in many cities in Europe, Australia and Northern America," Mr Lam said.
The Permanent Secretary for Security, Mr Stanley Ying, jointly officiated at the opening ceremony with Mr Lam.
During the ceremony, local Canto-pop singer Ho Wan-sze was appointed as the Ambassador of Ambulance Service.
The event was held at the Central Atrium of Olympian City.
Ends/Sunday, November 20, 2005
Issued at HKT 16:36
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