By Sarah Bandal Dubure, GNA
Bongo (U/E), Nov. 11, GNA – The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has advised Ghanaians to observe fire safety precautions as the harmattan season approaches to prevent fire outbreaks and destruction of properties.
Assistant Divisional Officer Grade One (ADO I) Mr Patritus Ayiredine, Operational Officer of the GNFS in the Bongo District, said the dry weather conditions and strong winds associated with the season increased the risk of fire outbreaks and could cause fires to spread rapidly.
He advised residents to switch off electrical appliances and sockets when leaving their homes, explaining that the dry and hot weather could cause electrical insulation and wiring to deteriorate, increasing the risk of sparks and fire outbreaks.
“During this season, because of the heat, most of the insulators and wiring freeze, so they easily break, and when they break, they can cause sparks in our homes,” he said.
Mr Ayiredine also advised parents and guardians to ensure that kitchen fires were completely extinguished immediately after cooking and to keep matches out of children’s reach.
He cautioned that children sometimes used matches to roast groundnuts or engage in small cooking activities and could leave fires unattended, allowing them to spread quickly because of the strong winds.
He further advised farmers to create fire belts when clearing their lands to prevent bushfires from spreading to neighbouring farms and vegetation.
Mr Ayiredine identified tree felling and the burning of charcoal as some of the challenges contributing to fire outbreaks in the district.
He said the practice was frowned upon by the traditional authorities, particularly the Paramount Chief, who had authorised the arrest of people involved in the destruction of trees for charcoal production.
He noted that community fire volunteers had also been empowered to arrest offenders.
“So, when they see you cutting a tree or cutting branches to burn charcoal, you will be arrested,” he warned.
The Operational Officer commended the fire volunteers for their efforts, saying their activities had contributed to a reduction in bushfires in farming communities.
“Our fire volunteers are doing well in the communities. They are helping us to have very limited bush burnings in the farmlands,” he observed.
Mr Ayiredine disclosed that the district recorded four fire outbreaks during the previous year’s dry season, adding that the Service had intensified fire safety education in markets, schools and mosques to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
He expressed optimism that the combined efforts of the fire volunteers and public education would help the district record fewer, if any, fire outbreaks during the current harmattan season.
“This year, we expect that our fire volunteers will make sure that people will not go to the farmlands and forest reserves. Our expectation is that this year, we have a fire-free season,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Sarah Bandal Dubure