A total of 5, 256 Fire outbreaks have between recorded between January to November this year, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has disclosed.

The Service also attended to 532 Road Traffic Accidents with a total of 2,557 injuries and 263 deaths recorded.

The figure represents a 4.92 per cent decrease as compared to the recorded 5,530 fire outbreaks in the same period in 2022.

The Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Julius Kuunuor said this at the climax of the 60th anniversary, Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols and Thanksgiving service of the GNFS held in Accra on Thursday.

This decline, he attributed to the public fire safety education initiatives conducted nationwide by the Service, which resulted in the protection of properties worth millions of Cedis.

Mr Kuunuor said the Service performed Fire Safety Audits and Inspections in 14,157 public and residential premises, aligning with established fire safety standards to guarantee the well-being of occupants.

The CFO emphasised the responsibility of the public to avoid misuse of emergency services as the service recorded 656,591 prank calls (false alarms) in the year.

He said Management in a bid to find solutions to the challenges of the Service has collaborated with the government to procure Fire Appliances and Equipment, including Dual Purpose Tenders, Water Tankers, Rapid Intervention Vehicles, as well as Utility Vehicles and Command Vehicles in 2024.

“The Service is also in collaboration with the Ghana Water Limited to ensure constant and adequate supply of water through the construction of Fire Hydrants and Drilling of Mechanised boreholes and duck -outs for firefighting,” he added.

The CFO urged Ghanaians to prioritise fire safety during the festive season.

As part of the celebration, 10 retired Officers were honoured for their years of dedication to the Service.

The Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery in his statement expressed his appreciation for the dedicated personnel of the Service throughout the year, acknowledging their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of communities, lauding their courage in the face of adversity and swift responses to emergencies.

Mr Dery highlighted several achievements of the Service which included the establishment of the Fire College at Kyebi and the completion of the Training Schools in Walewale and Duayaw Nkwanta.

He shared essential fire safety tips for the festive season which included installing smoke detectors, regular checks on electrical appliances, caution with open flames, educating families on evacuation procedures, and having easily accessible fire extinguishers.

The Minister assured government’s commitment to retooling the Service with modern and state-of-the-art firefighting and rescue equipment to enable the Service to better deliver on its mandate of saving lives, preserving properties, and safeguarding the environment.

“How institutions pay homage to their heroes, especially retirees, reflects profoundly on the sacrifices made for the organisation’s growth and progress.

“It is in this direction that I wish to express my deepest appreciation to the illustrious retired Officers who are to be honoured today for their years of dedicated service to the nation, “ he said.