GNFS appeals for boats, pickups as rescue operations intensify

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has appealed to individuals, corporate organisations and development partners to support its ongoing flood rescue operations with boats and pickup vehicles as emergency teams continue responding to widespread flooding across parts of Accra.

The appeal comes as the Service intensifies rescue efforts following Monday's devastating floods, which have claimed lives, displaced thousands of residents and caused extensive destruction to homes, businesses and public infrastructure across the Greater Accra Region.

Speaking on Joy FM's Midday News on Tuesday, June 30, a member of the GNFS Public Relations Team, Alex King Nartey, disclosed that firefighters have rescued nearly 500 people within the past 24 hours despite operating under severe logistical constraints.

Mr. Nartey explained that while the Fire Service has deployed personnel to several flood-hit communities and remains on high alert to respond to additional emergencies, inadequate equipment is limiting the speed and efficiency of rescue operations.

"We are currently at our operations centre and are very much ready to respond," he said.

"However, our logistics have been overstretched and so we still call on support from individuals, organisations and society to help us with some pickups that we can convert to rapid intervention vehicles so that we can quickly get to hard-to-reach areas."

According to him, the absence of smaller emergency response vehicles often forces firefighters to deploy heavy fire tenders to rescue stranded residents, reducing the number of appliances available to respond to fire outbreaks.

Mr. Nartey said converting pickup trucks into rapid intervention vehicles would significantly improve response times during emergencies, particularly in densely populated communities where flooded roads make access difficult.

"Once we have these pickups, we can quickly attend to these incidents, allowing the fire tenders to concentrate on fire emergencies," he explained.

He noted that dedicated rescue vehicles would enable firefighters to respond simultaneously to flood incidents and fire emergencies without overstretching existing resources.

The GNFS spokesperson also appealed for additional rescue boats to strengthen evacuation efforts in severely affected communities.

He revealed that during rescue operations in areas such as Adabraka and other flood-prone communities, the Fire Service relied on boats provided by the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana Armed Forces to evacuate stranded residents, including children trapped by rising floodwaters.

According to him, increasing the availability of rescue boats would significantly enhance the Service's ability to reach isolated communities quickly and safely.

Mr. Nartey welcomed President John Dramani Mahama's directive for the Ghana Armed Forces to support ongoing rescue operations, describing the collaboration among emergency agencies as essential to protecting lives during the disaster.

He commended the coordinated efforts of the Ghana Armed Forces, the Ghana Police Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other emergency responders who have been working around the clock to rescue stranded residents and provide humanitarian assistance.

The Ghana National Fire Service says search and rescue operations remain active across several affected communities as emergency teams continue looking for missing persons, assisting displaced families and responding to distress calls.

Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant, avoid flooded roads and waterways, and immediately contact emergency services whenever assistance is required.

The Service has also reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property while calling on the public and corporate institutions to support efforts to strengthen Ghana's emergency response capacity through the donation of critical rescue equipment.