The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) will take delivery of two hydraulic platforms by the end of the year, to aid fire fighting, the Minister of the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery has announced.
A hydraulic platform is a special equipment that helps fire fighters to get access to high rise buildings extending beyond 15 floors during fire outbreaks.
Mr Dery, who disclosed this at the pass-out parade of Recruit Course 49 of the GNFS in Accra on Friday, said the government was working around the clock to complete the purchase process.
The recruits, comprising 511 personnel trained in various fire safety disciplines at the Fire Academy and Training School, James Town, Accra, to bring the number of recruits passed out this year alone, to 909.
According to Mr Dery, efforts were also being made to procure and supply personnel with Personal Protective Equipment, other safety equipment and resources for the smooth running of the service.
“I wish to assure you of government’s commitment to equip the Service with modern fire fighting equipment to ensure effective fire management as well as Road Traffic Extrication to provide the needed safety and security of our citizens and other nationals within our jurisdiction,” he said.
The Interior Minister noted that with the industrialisation agenda of the government gradually taking roots, the Service was an important partner in ensuring that investors and their investments were protected in order to achieve the desired result.
Additionally, Mr Dery said the government would transform the Service’s Conditions of Service into a new and improved Administrative Regulations passed by Parliament.
In consultation with the Fire Service Council, he said the ministry was exploring ways through which the Service could increase its Internally Generated Funds and retain part to develop the Service.
On fire outbreaks, Mr Dery commended the service for a 4.5 per cent reduction in reported cases of 2,523 as of April 2019 as compared to 2,646 cases recorded same time last year.
However, he charged the service to do more to further reduce outbreaks by increasing public education on the service’s mode of operation so as to earn public support.
The “historic” passing out of nearly 1,000 recruits this year alone, according to him had helped improve the citizen to fireman ratio which currently stands at 1:3,589 as compared to the UN standard of 1:800.
“It is my hope that by the end of this year this ratio will further improve with training of more recruits and cadet,” he said.
He advised the recruits to be diligent and professional in the discharge of their duties to help improve fire safety in the country. Alex Eduonoo was adjudged the overall best cadet.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR AND ALBERTA BRONI