By Juliet Mettle-Edmonds
Statistics from the Ghana National Fire Service indicate that in the first quarter of 2023, a total of 2,177 fire outbreaks were recorded nationwide as compared to 2,403 fire outbreaks recorded for the same period in 2022, a decrease of 226, representing 9.4 percent.
The service promised to continue to intensify its fire safety education to help reduce fires in the country.
According to the Ghana National Fire Service, in January 2023, the Service recorded 827 fire outbreaks nationwide and 728 in February. In March 2023, a total of 622 fires were recorded, while 506 fire outbreaks were also recorded in April 2023.
The service also attended 178 road traffic accidents from January 1 to April 30, 2023. And in the first quarter of 2023, a total of 876 injuries and 89 deaths were also recorded.
As the service entreats all to continue to be fire safety conscious, Chief Fire Officer Julius Kuunuor touched on the reduction of fires in the country.
Julius Kuunuor said, ‘Prevention, it is said, is better than cure. The service is therefore poised to redirect the present paradigm of firefighting to one that is better focused on addressing the dictates of the service objectives. Regional, Metropolitan Municipal, and District Fire Officers are currently embarking on house-to-house as well as radio and television education programs on Fire Safety Precaution Campaign Nationwide.”
Due to the extensive public fire safety education carried out nationwide, there was a remarkable decrease in fire outbreaks. Regarding its target to reduce the figures of outbreaks to a single digit, the Chief Fire Officer said,
“We are very determined to sustain the Public Fire Safety Education Campaign to ensure the fire outbreaks are further reduced to a single digit by December. 2023.”
While encouraging the public to continue to adhere to the fire safety protocols, the Service further entreats the public to avoid pranking the 112, 192 emergency line.
