GNFS educates hoteliers on fire safety
Hotel owners have been advised to install fire systems in their facilities and train their staff in firefighting skills.
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The Chief Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Dr Albert Brown Gaisie, who gave the advice, said such measures would ensure the safety of patrons of the facilities in case of a fire outbreak.
He was speaking at a forum organised by the service for stakeholders in the hospitality industry in the Greater Accra Region on the need to ensure public safety.
All hotels, guest houses and other hospitality facilities, he said, must have fire assembly points, fire defence systems, emergency exit doors, fire notices and as well equip their workers with fire safety evacuation tips.
Safety audit
He said a recent safety audit conducted in a number of facilities in the Greater Accra Region had shown that operators needed to put in place adequate safety mechanisms to improve their firefighting capabilities.
He said the audit revealed that most of the facilities needed to redo their electrical wiring since the wires had frayed.
Dr Gaisie expressed worry over the use of gas cylinders indoors and close to open fires, saying “Cylinders must be put outside the kitchen. Most of you put your cylinders in the kitchen and they are rusty, perforated and leaking.”
He, therefore, urged the facility operators to employ fire wardens trained by the GNFS and also conduct routine checks of fire safety installations.
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Hazardous materials
The hoteliers were also advised to put in place proper storage facilities for hazardous materials and combustibles which could explode easily in case of a fire outbreak.
Dr Gaisie urged the public to call the emergency lines immediately there was a fire outbreak or any emergency situation in which the expertise of the rescue officers would be required.
Concerns of stakeholders
The President of the Ghana Hoteliers Association, Mr Helbert Acquaye, stated that their members had been complying with the guidelines of the GNFS in order to meet the inspection and certification requirements.
He, however, noted that the cost of employing the services of the GNFS to train the workers of the hotel operators was higher compared to other private brokers and therefore urged the GNFS to consider reducing their cost.
He said the association was ready to work on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the education and training of its members by the GNFS.
During an open forum, a representative of the African Regent Hotel, Mr Edward Owusu Fakye, urged the GNFS to invest in modern communication technology capable of prompting the service about fire outbreaks to enable them to respond promptly to save lives and property.
Later in an interview, the Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mrs Gifty Kwansa, stated that “the forum had been useful since we have been taking things for granted.”
She said the authority had captured some of the issues raised in its inspection schedules conducted in hotels.
Writer’s email: emelia.ennin@graphic.
com.gh