Fire Safety Preparedness in the Central Business District of Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, the incidence of fire outbreak has become the order of the day, as there is no single day without news on fire outbreaks in some parts of the country. These fires affect different buildings. Knowing how to use installed facilities within buildings is very important in tackling fire emergencies. This study was conducted to assess the perceptions of occupants on fire safety preparedness in the Central Business District of Kumasi (CBD). The key objectives set out were to assess fire disaster preparedness among occupants in the CBD, to assess the perceptions of the occupants on the causes of fire outbreaks and the use of firefighting equipment in the CBD, and to identify the measures which occupants feel should be put in place to control outbreak of fire in the CBD. The study adopted a case study research strategy. Empirically, the findings from the research showed that there is limited fire safety preparedness among occupants in the CBD of Kumasi. The study recommends that fire assembly points/emergency shelters, public education on fire safety, enforcement of fire safety policies, among others should be put in place to ensure that fire outbreaks are controlled in the CBD.