The effective operations of fire fighters of the Ghana National Fire Service in the Ashanti Region have been crippled, making management of fire outbreaks hazardous and tedious for the personnel.
The Regional Headquarters of the service is beset with logistical constraints, chief among them the use of low capacity fire tenders.
The Chronicle has gathered that unlike previously, in the Atta Mills administration, when the state procured Pierce and Volvo Dual Purpose Tenders (DPT Fire Tenders) with a capacity of 3,500 gallons and 2,500 (3,000 gallons water and 500 foam compound and 2,000 gallons of water and 500 foam compound depending on the make), the service currently has to contend with fire tenders of Man Diesel and Tata make (which have been named "Kumkum Bagya" by fire personnel for being obsolete).
They have between 500 and 800 gallons of water capacity, which the personnel say are mere water tenders and not useful, and should be phased out. The regional headquarters has had its problems lately in meeting firefighting requirements.
The only fire tender has been out of use for some time, until recently (mid March) when it was maintained. The station had to rely on the fire tender from the Konongo Station, which was compelled to use a Man Diesel tender, even in the face of the high and huge demand of its services along the Kumasi-Konongo-Nkawkaw road.
In case of fire around Chirapatre, where the regional headquarters is located, the service had to rely on fire tenders from the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Kwame Nkrumah university of Science and Technology (KNUST), Komfo Amokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Manhyia or Bremang Fire stations. The Chronicle gathered that the fire stations at Kuntanase, Fomena and Agona have no fire tenders.
Two Tata fire tenders, which were released not long ago for distribution to some of the district fire stations, have not been useful. They broke down even before they could be allocated, and
Are currently grounded at the Regional Fire Headquarters. To make matters worse, the only water hydrant at the headquarters, from which fire fighters draw water for operations, has also been out of use for the past three months.
The key of the standpipe of the water hydrant is reportedly damaged, and the service would have to rush to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus, or the Regional Co-ordinating Council area, or nearby water hydrants in town, to refill the tenders in case of fire outbreaks.
The Chronicle has learnt the Ghana Water Company has inspected the facility, made an assessment, and provided estimates for repairs and replacement of some components to make the water hydrant functional, but there seems to be some financial constraint, hence no payments have been made to fix the problem.
The paper has also learnt that there is an uneasy calm among the personnel, who are complaining that aside the lack of logistics, they are overworking.
According to reports, the personnel are working 12 hours a day, instead of the eight, as prescribed by labour laws.
It is said that off duty for personnel within the Kumasi Metropolis have also been cancelled by the Regional fire administration, meaning the personnel are being stressed and cannot give off their best.
According to personnel The Chronicle spoke to, the KMA and KATH fire stations are constantly fighting fires about three to four times a day, so the personnel who have already sacrificed to do 12 hours without a day off are being overstretched. The end result is low morale and more sick leave at the expense of productivity.
The personnel have also called for a review of the conditions under which they work.
Chronicle attempted in vain to contact ACFO Robert Semekor Kwaku Fiadzo, Regional Fire Commander, to speak on the issues, but he would not answer his phone or respond to text messages seeking his position on the issues raised.
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