The Ghana National Fire Service has launched its Regional Home Fire Safety Certification campaign in the Volta Region to ensure that all home owners and individuals obtain certifications for their residences.
The Volta region was the first region to have the project launched in after the national project which was held earlier in Accra aimed at promoting safety fire management in homes and work places.
Records available indicate that from the year 2011 to 2015 a total of 24,500 fires occurred in Ghana of which domestic fires arising from individuals or private homes 10,051 representing 41% of the total outbreaks within those years.
The alarming figures from domestic fires have resulted to the loss of about 188 lives whiles 267 number of people sustained various degrees of injuries.
As part of the campaign, the Ghana National Fire Service with support from other stakeholders would be equipped technologically and financially to help sensitize the general public on the need to adopt safety measures in managing fire disasters.
Beneficiary homes that have met all the fire safety requirements would be certified and supplied with fire alarms, extinguishers and other fire control equipment.
National Service Personals are to be trained to help transfer knowledge to the general public through forums and consultations.
Speaking at the ceremony in Ho today, the chief fire officer Dr Albert Brown Gaisie underscored the need to embrace fire safety measures at homes and offices, and thus called on all including those in the building industry to adopt the appropriate approaches in preventing fire outbreaks.
He said the Volta region is the only region that has the Ghana National Fire Service coverage of about 80%, leaving only three districts to be provided a fire station.
He also commended the officers in the region for their tremendous efforts in controlling disasters in the region and even extending their rescue efforts to neighboring Togo upon a distress call from that country to the admiration of the President of the Republic of Togo Faure Gnassingbe.
The Volta regional minister Hon Hellen Adjoa Ntosu also pledged government’s commitments to support the Ghana National Fire Service in order to save lives and properties.
She said during their tenure an additional ten (10) fire stations were established to augment the existing 12 stations in the region.
The Home Fire Safety Certification Project dubbed “DUMGYA” is expected to be extended to other regions in the country.
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By: Norbert Akpabli /citifmonline.com/Ghana