Out of the total of 1, 832 water hydrants sited across the country, only 797of them are working, thereby affecting fire-fighting operations,the Head of Public Affairs Department of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Assistant Chief Fire Officer Grade One (ACFO) I Timothy Osafo-Afum, has disclosed.
A water hydrant is a discharge pipe with a valve and spout at which water may be drawn from a water main.
ACFO Osafo-Affumin an interview with the Ghanaian Times yesterday, said some of the water hydrants installed in 1957, had become obsolete and malfunctioning.
He explained that some water hydrants could not be serviced and needed replacement, while others had structures built on them, and some of them were operating with low pressure.
ACFO Osafo-Afum saidfirefighters had to travel long distances to get water from hydrants, resulting in delays in attending to emergencies.
He gave the regional break down of unserviceable water hydrants as follows: Ashanti, 123,Oti 4,Eastern, 62,Volta 35, Savanna,3,Western 64, Northern, 38,Greater Accra, 305,Upper East,14, Upper West, 6,Bono 68,Bono East, 17, Ahafo 3, Western North, 5, Central, 47, and North East 3.
The PRO said as part of measures to address the situation, the GNFS had intensified collaboration with the Ghana Water Company Limited, to ensure the flow of water in hydrants during emergencies.
ACFO Osafo-Affum stated that the GNFS had submitted proposal to the government, to procure more water tankers to facilitate activities of the Service.
He said the GNFS had also partnered some non-governmental organisations to construct boreholes, especially in the rural areas,to ensure regular water supply.
The Head of PR appealed to institutions and communities to construct water reservoirs so that the GNFS could rely on them for water during firefighting.
ACFO Osafo-Affum urged the Metropolitan Municipal District Assemblies to prevent the construction of structures on water hydrants.
He appealed to the public to protect water hydrants within their communities to ensure effective firefighting.
“Report people who intend to expose water hydrants to danger,” ACFO Osafo-Afum appealed.
He called for strong partnership between the communities and the GNFS to reduce fire outbreaks, warning that “fires destroy properties and affect the human resource of the country.”
ACFO Osafo-Afum gave the assurance that GNFS would continue to work hard and reduce fire outbreaks in the country.
BY ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI
