with rescue operations

Ho, March 15, GNA - Mr Stephen Kandue, Deputy Chief Fire Officer in-charge of Training and Human Resource on Friday advised the public to desist from interfering with rescue operations by firemen during road traffic accidents. He said such interference tended to obstruct the rescue teams and increase the likelihood of the victim fatalities. Mr Kandue said this during a mock rescue competition between firemen in Eastern and Volta regions held in Ho. The six-hour exercise was one of a series being organised nationwide to select Ghana's representative to an extrication competition to be held in the United Kingdom in July this year. Mr Kandue noted that most often, the public rushed to accident scenes with cutlasses and axes to rescue casualties, and that in most cases, they end up causing more harm with those tools. He said the Ghana National Fire Service was of international standard and capable of handling any kind of accident so the public must leave the work for the professionals to do with their expertise. "The public must have confidence in us and not rush us because we are a safety-oriented organization and we will surely deliver to the satisfaction of everybody," Mr Kandue assured. The Volta Regional head of the Fire Service Mr Edwin Blankson said the Service must be the first to be called in case of any road traffic accident, adding that they have collaboration with the National Ambulance Service and the Police. 15 March 08