The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) is to embark on door –to-door public education on fire safety to help reduce domestic fires in the country.
The decision of the Service was informed by the fact that most domestic fires were caused by misuse and mishandling of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), general carelessness, poor electrical wiring of houses, use of obsolete electrical equipment and general none compliance with the fire safety regulations in the home.
This formed part of a series of decisions taken at the end of the 12th Conference of Directors and Regional Fire Officers of the Ghana National Fire Service(GNFS) at Koforidua.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency(GNA), the National Public Relations Officer(PRO) of the GNFS, Mr James Oheneba Yaw Kwateng said the Service had decided to ensure that all high rising buildings had landing valves to enhance fire-fighting in those buildings including; acquisition of two hydraulic platforms which could help fight fire on the tenth floor of a high rise building.
He said the Conference decided to rebrand the Fire Volunteer programme to make it more attractive to help prevent bushfires and help protect farms including those established under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).
Mr Kwateng said from January to August this year, the Service has lost 41 personnel, some of which might have died from hazards of their profession and so the conference decided that more attention should be given to the health of the personnel of the Service.
He said the conference decided that regular health checks would be organized for the staff of the Service and also to construct gymnasium at all regional offices of the Service and encourage personnel to undertake regular exercises.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour assured the GNFS personnel of the government determination to review their service conditions to make the Service more attractive and also retool the service to enhance service delivery.
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