Accra, Jan. 18, GNA - The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has prioritized fire safety as a means of reducing the incidents of fire outbreaks during the hamattan season.
The Service has observed the sudden change in weather conditions in the past few days, a period characterized with major fire outbreaks due to the reduction on moisture content in materials, which increase the ignition rate of combustible materials.
Mr Ellis Robinson Okoe, the Head of Public Relations Office- GNFS, in a statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency, advised the public to be careful with the handling of electrical gadgets during this season to avoid fire outbreaks.
“Most fires that occur within this period are domestic and bushfires which are attributed to poor handling of naked flames such as candle, improper handling of gas during cooking, improper housekeeping and uncontrolled bush burning”.
Mr Okoe, who is also the Divisional Officer II, said undesired fire continues to cause significant loss to lives and property in the country, a situation, which negatively affects the country’s Gross Domestic Product and needs to be given the needed attention.
“Fires knows no boundaries, neither does it respect personalities and can therefore wreak havoc on anyone of us, if care is not taken. We are and will continue to be at risk so long as we continue to compromise Fire Safety practices,” he said.
Giving the analysis of fire statistics, Mr Okoe said fire outbreaks figures indicated an increment from 4,544 in 2017 to 5,531 in 2018.
He said 33 lives were lost in 2017 and 44 in 2018.
Mr Okoe said the cost of damage was over GH¢28.87 million as at November 2018, and GH¢36.28 million for 2017.
Research conducted by the GNFS into the increasing trend of fires and related incidents points largely to behavioural issues such as carelessness, ignorance, and negligence in the use of electricity.
The Research also identified misuse of electrical gadget, improper handling of naked flame and accidents stemming from non-adherence to basic fire safety principles on the part of members of the public aside the current ecological imbalances in the weather pattern.
Mr Okoe said the service had rolled out an intensive public Fire Safety Education programme aimed at addressing fire outbreaks in schools, markets, worship centres, place of work and communities of residence and farming communities.
The Command of the Service has also formed a rapid response unit to undertake patrols around national and vital installations to avert any possible outbreaks, adding that in case of motor accident the public are encouraged to call the nearest fire station for assistance.
Mr Okoe urged the public to desist from setting fires without any control measures and assist the fire investigators with necessary information to unravel the causes of fire outbreaks as they occur.
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