The Western Regional Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has urged members of the public to remain vigilant and avoid activities that could lead to fire outbreak in their homes and other places during the Christmas festivities.
Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) I Linda Afua Pongo, Deputy Public Relations Officer (PRO), Western Region GNFS, during a door-to-door sensitisation campaign within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, said it was imperative for the citizenry to strictly adhere to fire safety measures to help ensure a fire incident-free Christmas season.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview, she stated that the door-to-door engagements would run throughout the festive season, and the goal was to prevent fire outbreaks during the yuletide.
ADO I Pongo said as part of the initiative, fire officers would hold engagements and outreach programmes in communities, markets, and other public spaces to educate residents on fire prevention and basic safety practices.
She said: “The exercise is designed to significantly reduce the incidence of fire outbreaks, particularly domestic fires, which tend to rise during the festive seasons.”
She explained that the Command adopted the door-to-door approach after observing a consistent increase in household fire incidents during Christmas celebrations, largely due to unsafe cooking practices, electrical faults, and the misuse of fire-related items.
“Our goal is not necessarily to record zero fire incidents, but to drastically reduce the number of occurrences during the festive season,” she noted.
ADO I Pongo, thus, encouraged the residents to prioritise fire safety, noting that public cooperation was a key factor in the fight against fire outbreaks.
“We are optimistic that the public will embrace the education we are giving them, because prevention remains the most effective way to combat fire incidents, and collective responsibility is also essential to keeping our communities safe this Christmas,” she added.
She also urged the people to make the Fire Service emergency contacts always handy and report any incidents to the nearest Fire Station for swift response, saying; “We remain committed to protecting lives and properties.”
