The Deputy Upper West Region Regional Fire Officer Divisional Officer Grade One (DO I) Eugene Asa-Gyekye has called for strict adherence to fire safety principles at home and at the workplace to help prevent accidental fires.
He explained that many of the fires recorded in the region could have been prevented if people paid attention to basic safety tips of using electricity and fire.
He said safety went beyond donning equipment such as boots, helmets, and reflectors to having the mindset to do the right thing in order to prevent accidents, as, according to him, firefighting was a shared responsibility that required citizens to be adherents of fire safety principles.
The Deputy Commander stated this in an address on behalf of the Regional Commander, Assistant Chief Fire Officer I (ACFO I), Henry Asiedu, after a route march through the principal streets of Wa as part of activities to mark Fire Safety Week.
Personnel on the route march displayed placards with messages such as “The laws on bushfire must work, stop bush fire now”, “Carelessness, ignorance and complacency are the common causes of fire outbreaks, learn and follow fire safety rules”, as well as “switch off all electrical appliances when not in use”.
Speaking to the Ghanaian Times after the march, DO I Eugene Asa-Gyekye said the service sought to sensitise the general public to the need to improve the health and safety performance of citizens of the country.
“In the past years, I have come to believe that when you pay attention to safety first, you will certainly avoid incurring losses as well as accidents, unnecessary damage to property, and loss of life,” he stated.
He said there was a correlation between productivity and safety in every work environment, such that the lower the safety and health standards, the lower the productivity of the organization, particularly in a highly mechanized and labour-intensive environment.
He called on Ghanaians, particularly residents of the region, to develop an interest and a desire to embrace safety in all their endeavor in order to forestall future disasters.