The Director of Public Relations of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Assistant Chief Fire Officer one (ACFO1) Timothy Osafo-Affum, has urged the general public to adhere to fire safety measures in this yuletide.
He also cautioned Event Managers and Organisers to seek fire safety advice when planning an event or request for fire service during events to help prevent fire outbreaks.
“The period we are entering is when we use a lot of light devices for decoration, naked fires and heating equipment for preparation of food and other activities towards the festivities, this poses a lot of danger to us when it comes to fire safety, so there is a need for us to put fire safety measures first before anything,” he stated.
According to him, the service normally records high number of cases during festive season, particularly coupled with the harmattan.
ACFO1 Osafo-Affum, made the call in an interview with the Ghanaian Times last Thursday.
He also advocated against the use of fireworks and firecrackers during this yuletide period as it was now outlawed to use fire cracker without permission.
However, he explained that individuals who would be using firecrackers should ensure that they seek permission and also find a place whereby embers that fall from the firecrackers would not get in contact with combustible to cause fire outbreaks.
“So if it becomes necessary for you to use the firecracker, then you need to use them where you do not have any combustible material that will ignite and causing fires that will lead to disasters for all of us or you invite the fire service to stand by while using your firecrackers to prevent an eventualities,” he stressed.
ACFO1 Osafo-Affum also urged individuals to desist from using excessive naked fires in festival celebrations and other events to avoid fire outbreaks and its devastation.
He said individuals should pay attention to the fabric or attire they wore near naked fires during festival performances.
Adding that, some fabrics and clothing materials were easily to catch fire when they were exposed to naked fire.
Accounting their performance, ACFO1 Osafo-Affum said the GNFS had recorded a reduction in fire outbreak cases this year.
He said GNFS was able to mark this achievement through their dedicated and collective hand work in sensitising the citizenry on fire and other incidents prevention and control.
“So the fact that the there is a reduction in fire cases does not matter, what is important is, from our own investigation, about 70 per cent of all fire incidents in this country is as a result of human error. It means that 70 per cent of all cases that we record in this country can be prevented and that is what is important,” he said.
Highlighting the issues facing GNFS, he said their fire tenders were aging, and therefore, could not function effectively as it was.
“We have a challenge in terms of equipment, but I believe we are compensating that with a lot of fire education and awareness creation,” he stated.
BY CECILIA LAGBA YADA
