We need new logistics to make us more effective and efficient – GNFS

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has highlighted the need for increased logistics to improve their efficiency and effectiveness. According to the service, some of their tenders are more than 13 years old, but they are making the most of what they have.

DOIII Desmond Ackah, Deputy Public Relations Officer of the GNFS, stated that they have appealed to the government to retool the service and have been assured that it will be done. He said they are forced to make use of what they have at the moment while waiting for new logistics.

“Some of our tenders are old; therefore, we have been requesting fresh logistics from the government for the past three years. They have given us an assurance that it will be done. At the moment, the government is assisting with the maintenance of existing ones and their use until new ones arrive. That is why we are asking the media to talk about these concerns so that they can be addressed quickly.”

When asked if they had enough fire jackets and other firefighting logistics, he said, “There is no government institution in this country that has it all. We have enough logistics, including the jackets. But they are not enough to meet the demands of every firefighter.

"However, we have the full set in our tenders, which we use in times of emergencies. We also have a system to wash these logistics for the next crew that will come after the first batch uses them. That is why we keep appealing to the media to come in and support us.

"We admonish the media to raise awareness about these issues so the government will see the need to provide us with new logistics. We also believe that you can use the medium to call for support from individuals, NGOs, and other philanthropists to come to our aid.”

He said that despite the challenges, there is no outbreak that has not been attended to. He asked Ghanaians to understand these issues and stop assaulting and insulting their personnel who come to their locations to put out fires.

“Despite these challenges, we always attend to emergencies, yet when we get to these fire locations, some individuals beat and insult us for no reason. We are doing our best with the difficulties we face.

"That is why we are asking for your support. We hope that you grant us an audience so we can educate Ghanaians, talk about challenges so the people will understand what we do, and we will get their support for what we do.”