The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has called on the public to adhere to the many fire safety educational campaigns and precautions being undertaken by the Service to make the country free from fire outbreaks.

According to the Service, though it is fervently embarking on educational campaigns, a larger portion of the public remains adamant and engaging in activities that are likely to spark fires in their localities.

The public should, therefore, desist from blatant disregard for basic fire safety rules, overloading of electrical sockets, improper and careless usage of LPG Gas, improper handling of hydrocarbons and flammable liquids among others which are major causes of fire outbreaks.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer (ACFO) Semekor Kwaku Fiadzo, Central Regional Fire Commander, made the call at the launch of this year's regional fire safety week in Cape Coast.

“We are organising a lot of educational campaigns and holding stakeholders meetings, but it appears as if people have not heard our messages. If they would adhere to these messages, the incidence of fire outbreaks would reduce very drastically,” he said.

He said this year’s fire safety week is the first of its kind in the country, adding that it is an indication that the GNFS is ready to intensify its educational campaigns and collaborate with stakeholders to effectively address the problems of fire outbreaks.

The celebration which was on the theme: “Ensuring fire safety for national development,” would educate and create public awareness on the need to ensure fire safety at the workplace and in individual households.

ACFO Fiadzo said the Service is committed to ensuring that fire cadets are established in all senior high schools in the region to train students so that they would develop interest in fire safety and prevention measures.

He called on individuals, institutions and the public to form workplace and community fire volunteer groups and community rescue squads for the Service to train them to be able to respond to fire cases on time before personnel of the GNFS get to the scene.

Activities to mark the celebration included a public education on fire safety at markets and other places of public gathering, a clean-up exercise in all district fire stations across the region and an open forum at the regional headquarters.