The Central Regional Public Relations Officer with the Ghana National Fire Service, DO3 Abdul-Wasiu Hudu has disclosed that about forty-seven fire hydrants in the region are non-functional.
He noted that this is a result of inappropriate constructions at sites closer to the fire hydrants.
He further added that about 161 fire hydrants in total have been mounted in the Central Region whilst 114 out of the 161 hydrants are functional but, are however faced with high and low pressure during the night and day due to human activities.
In an interview with ATL FM, DO3 Hudu attributed the inability of firefighters to quench fire on time to the non-functionality of fire hydrants in the region and the country at large.
“It is true that it is a nationwide problem, we have a hydrant challenge. Even though we do not have too much in the Central Region, with few ones we have, there are some that are non-functional. So far, there are around forty-seven that are non-functional. It is a big issue because water is a weapon for Ghana National Fire Service”, he remarked.
He also added that they need a constant supply of water during firefighting and so in situations where we do not have a constant water supply in the area adding “ we need to travel long distances to convey water from the nearest or the most accessible fire hydrants in order to quench the fires, so these mostly put a lot of stress on the firefighters and the resource which, reduces the time we need to fight the fire”.
He said authorities are working assiduously to ensure that these challenges are addressed.
“Almost all the DCEs and MCEs in the districts that have problem with hydrants are aware of the situation because they are the heads of the district security council and sometimes when we go for hydrants inspection, we go with officers from the Ghana Water Company so that any challenge we meet on the way we take note of them” he intimated
Source: Gloria Ampomah Oppong/ATLFMNEWS
