Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen inspected a graduation parade of 74 firemen and 45 ambulancemen at the Fire & Ambulance Services Academy today.
Mr Yuen commended the new recruits for rising to the challenge of providing round-the-clock services to the community.
"What you will be doing is not just a job. It is a commitment of serving the community and protecting the life and property of the public. This is a huge responsibility with great challenges, yet very meaningful."
He said the Fire Services Department received more than 817,000 calls for fire services, special services and emergency ambulance services last year - an average of 2,200 calls a day.
The department conducted over 500,000 inspections of fire service installations, means of escape, ventilation systems, handling of dangerous goods and licensed premises last year.
It also provided post-dispatch caller advice more than 9,000 times, enabling patients to obtain appropriate immediate treatment prior to the arrival of an ambulance crew.
He added that construction works for the new Fire & Ambulance Services Academy at Pak Shing Kok, Tseung Kwan O, are underway and the project will be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.
