70% of fire outbreaks are preventable, we must remain vigilant – GNFS

The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), ACFO 1 Timothy Affum, has indicated that with their research, nearly 70% of our fire outbreaks can be prevented.

Given that, the GNFS underscores the need for Ghanaians to remain vigilant to help minimise outbreaks.

He said GNFS will continue to intensify public education on the need for Ghanaians to remain conscious of fire safety measures wherever they are to help save lives and property.

He announced that they recorded a total of 44 fire outbreaks during the 2024 Christmas Day celebration.

The GNFS reported that out of the 44 cases on Christmas Day in 2024, the majority of them were domestic, followed by commercial, vehicle, and electrical installation fire outbreaks.

According to the GNFS, this was a slight reduction in the number of cases they recorded in 2023, which meant that the public education they embarked on yielded positive results.

“But there are outbreaks we can prevent. That is what we have to do, and so as a service, we will continue to intensify public education to ensure that the citizens are well educated.”

He said outbreaks during the harmattan could escalate if we were not careful.

He spoke against leaving naked fires in our domestic homes, especially in our coal pots after cooking.

“The other thing we want to advise Ghanaians about is the use of candles. It can trigger fires. That is why we encourage people to use ceramic bowls with water, so if the candle falls, it will fall into the water.”

He stressed the need for Ghanaians to refrain from making prank calls because it hinders those with genuine concerns from calling the service.

“The prank calls are a major issue we are dealing with. It is usually high when children are on vacation. These children have learned from what the adults do, and when they get the opportunity, they prank call us with ridiculous complaints. We are appealing to Ghanaians to stop the prank calls. Our lines are emergency lines and they remain so.

Some complain that when they call our emergency lines, they don’t get access to us on time. The prank calls are the major reason why sometimes some people call and are unable to get to us. If you do not have an emergency, do not call the fire service.”