New Takoradi, Nov. 18, GNA - Communities living close to oil installations have been advised against operating too close to oil installations to ensure their own safety and to prevent disaster. Mr Mark Henry Freeman, Community Relations Officer of the Cirrus Oil Services Limited, a private Oil company, said this at a day's programme to sensitize the people of New Takoradi, a fishing town in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, on the need to observe strict adherence to fire prevention regulations.

He said the programme formed part of activities marking the company's health and safety week and gave the assurance that the education programme would be sustained to avoid disasters. Mr Freeman said the company had not only walled the area but demarcated a buffer zone to prevent infiltration. Two fire personnel, Madam Robertta Ghanason and Mr Jacob Augustus Hagan, educated the people on various ways of fire prevention using fire prevention equipment and local materials such as cocoa sacks to fight fire caused by oil.

They stressed the need for them, being fisher folks who deal in premix, to be able to fight fire. Madam Ghananson said while people took precautionary measures against robbery by blocking all entry points in their houses there was the need to make room for escape in time of fire outbreak.