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It has been established that the fire that gutted the Central Medical Stores in Tema could have been avoided if officials in charge had implemented fire protection strategies recommended by an expert. A report dated April 14, 2014 and prepared by Pyrotechnics Limited, a fire protection company, and addressed to the Director General of Central Medical Stores, disclosed several fire protection lapses. What is strange is that even though the Central Medical Stores requested for the fire protection assessment, which was conducted by the Technical Manager of Pyrotechnics Limited, Mr E.A. Nyarko, far-reaching recommendations were never implemented for eight months, leading to the disaster that has caused the nation GH₵237 million. According to the report, the Fire Detection and Alarm System installed at Central Medical Stores some time ago had broken down entirely. In addition, it said inspection of the Alarm Circuit revealed that all the 74 Smoke Detectors wired onto the main Control Panel at the security gate had become obsolete and, therefore, could not be reactivated. It noted that the frontline fire-fighting extinguishers installed on the various buildings and warehouses within the Central Medical Stores had been neglected for some time and will not operate effectively when there is fire outbreak, adding, �The location of these units does not conform to the standard required.� The report said Fire-Fighting Hose Reels installed for the pre-emptive attack on any fire that may break out on the warehouses are located behind heavy doors under locks and this will, in a practical situation, not permit the use of the equipment until the doors are forced opened or unlocked by the Key Holder. The report by Pyrotechnics Limited said fire hydrants installed on the building could not produce enough water which will be required by the Fire Service to extinguish an outbreak. Also, the electric fire-fighting booster pump installed had also broken down. Recommendations �In view of the high-value stock of medical and relief equipment/products, we wish to advise that a fire strategy be formulated and implemented so that any fire outbreak within the premises could be detected at the incipient stages and suppressed before it could develop into a major outbreak,� the report stated. Consequently, Pyrotechnics advised that management install an Addressable Fire Detection and Alarm System with remote autodialing facility to the Fire Service as well at the security organisation responsible for the warehouse. �The system envisaged should be programmed to alert the officials responsible for the Medical Stores of any development regarding fire outbreak. �Secondly, the existing fire-fighting extinguishers have to be updated to enable frontline staff and security personnel attack and hold any fire outbreak in check until the arrival of the Fire Service,� the report said. Pyrotechnics warned that the large volumes of stacked medical products and relief materials within the warehouses require tactical approach to any fire situation in the Stores, saying the correct equipment must be used by trained personnel as loss control exercises. It recommended that wheeled fire extinguishers that have large volumes of extinguishants and can also project their contents to materials stacked at heights must be used to replace the existing old extinguishers. The report said the relocation of the Fire-Fighting Hose Reels within the warehouses to the outer walls of the warehouses should be done in conjunction with the supply and installation of a new booster pump and water reservoir for the property. �The idea is to eliminate the risk of opening a smoke field warehouse before getting access to the fire-fighting equipment installed within,� it said. According to the report, the installation of a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) Monitoring System would upgrade the fire, safety and security for the warehouses and storage facilities. �For the CCTV System, it will enable the duty officers at the security gate to simultaneously monitor any development of fire, pilfering and safety of both personnel and equipment within the warehouses,� it said.