The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, Assistant Divisional Officer Ellis Robinson Okoe has revealed that one hundred and thirty-nine precious lives were lost in fire outbreaks recorded nationwide in 2009 as against 168 deaths in 2008.
According to him, 775 others were injured in 2009 as against 661 in 2008. Even though these figures demonstrate a downward trend, we think that as a nation, we ought to be doing a lot more in order to arrest this catastrophe.
It is unimaginable and very regrettable that the nation, in a space of two years, has lost as much as 307 precious lives in avoidable circumstances. Avoidable because if, we, as a country, had been more serious and had put in place stringent measures as far as fire outbreaks are concerned, some of these lives would have been save.
As a way forward, the Daily Searchlight would want to put forward some suggestions aimed at nipping in the bud, some of these problems.
The Service may want to consider the intensification of mass public education on fire outbreaks throughout the country. This must be brought to the doorsteps of the people by targeting communities, markets, and car parks.
The capacity of the personnel in fighting fire must be enhanced through training as well as resourcing them so to save more lives and properties.
The government may wish to consider procuring a hydraulic platform to fight fires especially on infrastructures of high rise buildings at least in the Greater Accra Region.
A monitoring team must be put in place and charged with the responsibility of monitoring and inspecting all hydrants, active or otherwise, in the system. Furthermore, there should be a law so that owners and developers of high rise buildings ensure that they incorporate safety gadgets in their buildings to prevent and or fight fire outbreak.
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