Government extols partnership between GNFS and WRO

Government has extolled the partnership between the World Rescue Organisation (WRO) and Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) aimed at upgrading the skills of personnel in the Service to effectively deal with road incidents.

Mr Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Interior, said Government welcomes the partnership between the two organizations adding it was the expectation that it would help augment the activities of firemen to better rescue victims involved in road crashes.

He made the remarks on Friday when personnel from the GNFS and the WRO paid a courtesy call on him in Accra.

Mr Acheampong said the need for professional training to rescue victims of road crashes was opportune due to a number of recent reported road incidents.

He expressed the hope that the training would equip members of the GNFS to be better prepared to handle their professional duties with international standards.

The WRO, an international body, which has since 2003 been in partnership with the GNFS, on Monday, began a two-week workshop for 120 fire officers to upgrade their skills on how to retrieve victims involved in road crashes.

The training is also to enable the fire officers, drawn from the regions, to upgrade their knowledge and expertise on other aspects of their work.

Other objectives of the workshop include helping the fire officers to effectively and efficiently pre-plan for systemic approach to incidents, develop proper understanding and appreciation of rules and regulations, responsibilities, scene safety and assessment of operations and victims.

It is also aimed at assisting the officers to convey injured persons to a definitive place of care and to secure the scene and restrict access to non-authorised persons.

WRO is an international body that incorporates national rescue organisations with the view to enhance and maintain emergency procedures and techniques for dealing with road traffic collisions.

Members of WRO include Ghana, United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Spain, South Africa, Hungary and Luxemburg.

The organisation provides training, resources and systems for rescue services in developing nations and shares technical and theoretical knowledge to establish best global practices.**