ADO1 Alex King Nartey from the Public Relations Department of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has expressed concern about the escalating incidences of violence against his colleagues.
According to him, members of the public who have been attacking firefighters are misguided in their approach.
“Well, they are justified as humans, but the approach is wrong. And I would say their frustration is misguided”, he said in an interview with Johnnie Hughes on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show on February 27.
He urged individuals to direct their grievances towards local assemblies and the government, particularly regarding the dire state of fire equipment across the nation.
“As we speak, it’s very appalling that about 60% or more of our fire tenders nationwide that’s broken down or stations without appliances are a lot,” Mr Nartey lamented, highlighting the severity of the situation.
He warned that the lack of functioning fire tenders in critical areas posed a significant risk to public safety, likening it to “sitting on a time bomb.”
Mr Nartey expressed frustration over procurement delays, especially with elections approaching.
“Fast gearing towards an election year, you know the kind of things that are characterized with elections, people burning ties to do protest and all, and this is the time that we need fire tenders. We know that procurement is being made but it is our hope that this process will be hastened because the more it delays, the more fire attenders keep getting out of shape and becomes a problem” he lamented.
Mr Nartey revealed plans by the GNFS to boycott areas that repeatedly attack firefighters.
“We’ve decided that we’ll start boycotting areas that attack our men. As I said, we had limited appliances, especially in rural areas. We owe our service to our one, appliance and two, to our personnel. So, if we go and you destroy the fire tenders, then it means that we’ve deprived the whole area of a fire tender. So why don’t we then blacklist that area that likes to attack us so that those who need us we can attend to them” he stressed.
Addressing misconceptions about firefighting, the fire officer highlighted the complex considerations firefighters face during operations. He emphasized the seriousness of the profession, warning against underestimating the potential harm caused by attacks on firefighters.
“Because we don’t use a gun, people take us for granted, that’s where the problem is. But this is a serious thing, but you know, if a fire officer slaps you, you might go into coma. Because we don’t use weapons our strength is in our hands” he added.
By Joselyn kafui Nyadzi