Greater Accra fire safety week launched
The Greater Accra Regional Commander of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Mr Samuel N. Brenya has urged Ghanaians to give maximum attention to fire safety precautions to help reduce fire outbreaks in the country.
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He observed that carelessness, ignorance and complacency were negative attitudes which caused fires in the homes, market places organisations among other areas.
Fire safety week
Speaking at the launch of the Greater Accra Region Fire Safety Week yesterday, Mr Brenya implored the public to change their negative attitudes towards fire safety and adhere to basic fire safety measures.
The week-long programme dubbed “Attitudinal Change — key to fire safety,” was intended to create awareness of the negative and devastating effects of fire.
It was also to re-echo the fact that fire prevention and safety was a shared responsibility between the GNFS and the public.
Fire Facts
Mr Brenya indicated that about 759 fire outbreaks were recorded in the Greater Accra Region from January to August, 2015, with about 605 involving domestic, commercial and electrical facilities.
He said facilities where those fires originated from were frequently used by individuals, therefore, it was possible that their negligence or carelessness might have caused those fires.
“Fire safety and the role it plays in our lives depend to a large extent on our attitudes. We need to be reminded to be responsible,to think and to make time for fire safety,” he stated.
Sharing some facts about fires, he explained that most fire related deaths were caused by smoke and not fire because smoke travelled faster, adding that most fires occurred between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most people were usually asleep.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, observed that fire safety measures at homes, workplaces and markets had been neglected, exposing structures to fire outbreaks.
That, he said, had led to the continuous loss of lives and property running into millions of cedis.
Statistics available at the GNFS indicates 2,977 fires had been recorded nationwide from January to August, 2015.