Fire officer calls for establishment of disaster subcommittees at MMDAs

The Municipal Fire Commander at the Weija Fire Station in Accra, Divisional Officer Benjamin Carlis-Paittoo, has advocated the establishment of disaster management sub-committees at the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) in the country.

He said that would enable the assemblies not only to come up with strategies to prevent fire outbreaks but also deal with such disasters when they occurred in their respective areas.

Speaking at a workshop on disaster risk management in Accra, Mr Carlis-Paittoo said without adequate preparation at the municipal level, it would be extremely difficult to deal with disaster issues.

“It is more important for us to prepare and protect ourselves against disasters by ensuring our own safety at the community level,” he said.

The workshop, on the theme: “Total disaster risk management”,  was attended by residents of Weija and its surrounding communities, including business owners.

It was aimed at addressing the underlying factors leading to fire disasters and also ensure effective collaboration among stakeholders.