Fire officer urges assemblies to support fire volunteers

Mr Henry Esson, the Second-Officer In-Charge of Nkoranza Municipal Fire Station, has urged Municipal and District Assemblies to support local fire volunteers to boost their morale in combating bushfires.

He appealed to traditional authorities, religious leaders, assembly members and unit committees to educate people on the causes and effects of bushfires in order not to set fires during the dry season.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency at Nkoranza, Mr Esson said it was pathetic that due to lack of logistics such as Wellington boots, machetes, rakes and other inputs most of the volunteers felt reluctant to work.

He appealed to the assemblies to make logistics available to the volunteers because there were signs that this year’s harmattan would be severe.

Mr Esson said personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) had been detailed to financial institutions, shops, hotels, enterprises as well as educational institutions and the communities to educate the people to be cautious and guard against domestic and bushfires.

He said the Municipal Fire Station recorded 35 fire outbreaks in 2012 made up of 24 domestic fires, five bushfires and six vehicle fires.

In 2011, 19 fire outbreaks were recorded, 13 domestic fires, five bushfires and a vehicle fire. Mr Esson appealed to palm wine tappers and farmers to be cautious the way they handled fires while the general public should be careful about the use of electrical gadgets to check domestic fires.