About 5,000 personnel of the Service will be deployed to all the polling centres as part of the National Election Security Task Force. Felix Kwame Ferkah, who announced this, said for the purpose of the election and the Christmas festivities, annual leave of personnel had also been suspended indefinitely. In an interview with the Times, the Chief Fire Officer, advised people, especially voters to put off all electrical gadgets at home before setting out to cast their ballot on December 7. They should also ensure that sockets, switches or plugs which connect power to the gadgets are off in order to avoid possible fire outbreaks. He said that studies had shown that most domestic fire outbreaks apart from those linked to LPG gas, were caused by electrical faults. “It is the prerogative of every electorate to exercise his or her franchise on election day but in doing so they should take measures to ensure the safety of their property, including protection against fire”. He said in their anxiety to cast their ballot, there is the tendency for people to overlook such simple safety measures like putting off electrical gadgets. The Chief Fire Officer said the Fire Service was fully prepared to discharge its role as peacekeepers at the elections as part of the security agencies. He appealed to the general public to be extra careful in dealing with fire, specifically naked fire as the harmarttan season approaches. Source: Times