Editorial

GNFS warns public against indiscriminate burning during harmattan season

 The Ghana Na­tional Fire Ser­vice (GNFS) has urged the public to be mindful of indiscriminate burning of rubbish during the dry season to prevent fires in the country.

According to the GNFS during the period of harmattan every­thing becomes dry and the slight­est spark would ignite fire that could destroy lives and property.

The Director of Public Re­lations of the GNFS, Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Timo­thy Osafo-Affum, gave the advice in an interview with the Ghanaian Times yesterday.

He said members of the public should be mindful of how to handle naked fires such as candle, burning coal and mosquito coils.

 “In any case you want to burn bush, contact the nearest fire Command to assist in such operation,” he added.

ACFO Osafo-Affum said as part of efforts to reduce the menace this year, the GNFS would engage leadership and opinion leaders of slum commu­nities where the impact of fires had been severe.

“The leadership and opinion leaders would serve as facilita­tors in fire safety education who will in turn educate their people to ensure safety,” he added.

Mr Osafo-Affum urged the public to make fire safety their priority at all times to ensure that the fires were reduced in the country.

He said the Service would also intensify patrols and public education at the major markets, adding that a taskforce would also pay frequent visits to public places to ensure they comply with the fire safety regulations.

“Public education would also be intensified by the service to ensure the public comply with them,” he added.

He lamented the abuse of the Service’s emergency line, 192 by some faceless members of the public stating that such negative practice affected the operations of the GNFS.

“Prank calls are still a problem for the Service, 2,000 prank calls were received in a day and that af­fects genuine calls which are being made to the emergency unit,’’ he added.

ACFO Osafo-Affum appealed to stakeholders to continue their part­nership with the Service to ensure that the fires were reduce to the barest minimum,” he added.

He urged the public to make fire safety a priority by switching off all electrical gadgets and to unplug them when leaving the house or office, as well as not to overload sockets.

BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI

Show More
Back to top button