The occurrence of fire at homes and markets are not new in Ghana and elsewhere, but the frequency and the impart raises a serious concern.
The causes of these fires are not far-fetched. It is common knowledge to any safety student or professional that fire can be prevented by separating the components in the fire triangle. Namely, combustible material, a source of heat, and oxygen in sufficient quantities.
Let’s interrogate some of the causes of these fires:
1. Setting fire at inappropriate places with presence of combustible materials
2. Illegal electrical connections
3. The use of inferior cables and extension cords and overloading of the extension cords
4. Use of deteriorated gas cylinders and worn out hoses or leads
5. Not switching off gargets not in used when no one is present
6. The use of candles and coils not placed in the right receptacles
7. Smoking at inappropriate places and improper disposal of cigarette butts
8. Etc.
Fire precaution (premises) regulation, 2003, L.I 1724, stipulates or requires, factories and public premises to have fire detection and firefighting equipment’s.
The amended regulation L.I 2249 further requires all private homes to have the fire detection and firefighting equipment’s i.e. Smoke detectors, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers and may be to add fire blankets. Whilst, the factories and offices and public places have these equipment’s, most homes as of now do not have these fire detections and fighting gargets.
The above deficiencies were to be cured by the introduction of the Dwumdza Project, which was being introduced by the fire service or I think the ministry of interior during the previous government of President Mahama of which I was one of the participants in the interview conducted by Acreaty for the position of the MD, but, the project was halted or stalled due to the change in government.
Although, I do not think, the state should go ahead to supply all private homes as it was in the case of the Dwumdza Project, I think with education and sensitization, all homes must be entreated to have these equipment’s, since, fires are best fought at the incipient stage and these gargets would go a long way to detect and prevent fires, even when they start can be controlled and quenched at the incipient stage.
The Fire Service’s response to fires is most often slow due to their proximity and lack of accessible roads to the fire scenes. But what I suggest is the creation of much awareness and education, starting from the primary schools to the tertiary levels, since ignorance, it is said, kills faster than any known disease.
National service personnel can be provided with basic fire training and deployed in various markets as part of their service, and could be absorbed in the Ghana National Fire Service as and when vacancies come up in the service.
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