She was attached to Support Wing (Field 3) under the direction of the Senior Inspector Mr Philip Boughton-Massey and assigned to investigate a Staff Suggestion Scheme proposal that officers deployed on flood patrol duties be equipped with a Personal Alert Safety System (PASS).

OffBeat asked Ms Pike how her investigation had gone. "Well," she said, "I established very quickly that the suggested 'PASS' solution to being able to quickly locate officers disabled or stranded as a result of flooding was unworkable. The system was basically designed to alert the Fire Ground Commander if a fire-fighter entering a burning and smoke filled building became unconscious. The system would sound an alert enabling a rescue team to be despatched immediately. Unfortunately, the Fire Services staff explained that it did not work under water.

Ms Pike then started to research other possible solutions to the problem through Internet websites and discussions with officers in the Fire Services Department (FSD), Government Flying Services (GFS) and New Territories North Emergency Unit (NTN EU).

"After I had collected all the information," Ms Pike explained, "I then discussed the pros and cons of each possible solution with the same group of people and after that I compiled a report with my recommendations."

"It was a very thorough and useful report," said Mr Boughton-Massey. "The Assistant Commissioner (Support) was most impressed. He has written to the school telling the headmaster how well Ms Pike had done and to assure him that her report and its findings would be most carefully studied."

Ms Pike's solutions ranged from expensive special inflatable life-vests with built-in alarms to bicycle-borne panniers containing self-inflating life-jackets that could be thrown to people in trouble to don and then be hauled in.

OffBeat asked her how she had been treated by the 'experts' in FSD, GFS and NTN EU when she went to them with her enquiries. "They couldn't have been more helpful," she enthused. "They were very keen to share their knowledge. I was impressed by everyone I met but, most of all, I was impressed by the fact that the Force actually gave me a real job to do.

"I personally learned a great deal and I am most grateful to all those who have helped me in such a friendly and supportive measure," she concluded.

Ms Lucinda Pike sees demonstrations of a wide range of equipment in her search for something to ensure the safety of officers on patrol in flooded areas