Mr Rasaki Musibau, Director, Lagos State Fire Service, has urged residents to take precautionary measures to forestall fire outbreak in homes.
Musibau told newsmen on Friday in Lagos that such precautionary measures would ensure the safety of lives and properties.
As part of the measures, the fire service boss urged Lagosians to ensure that they switched off all electrical appliances while leaving their homes or offices.
The director said that electrical sockets should not be overloaded, as such could cause fire outbreak.
According to him, there should be portable fire extinguishers installed in conspicuous places and checked regularly.
He said that residents should ensure that gas cylinders were installed outside the kitchen and children were not allowed to play with matches and lighters.
Musibau said that generators should not be refueled while they are working or still hot and ash trays should be provided where smoking was permitted.
He urged Lagosians to call toll free line 767 or 112 in case of fire emergency.
“Lagosians should be safety conscious and make sure they guard against all the things that can cause fire outbreak, so that there will be reduction in the loss of lives and properties.
“They should take precautionary measures on things that are done out of negligence,’’ he said.
Musibau said that the Lagos Fire Service held rallies in Lagos Island, Badagry and Epe to celebrate the 2018 International Firefighters Day on May 4,
At the rallies, the fire service gave preventive talks and distributed flyers to the public to ensure they were safety conscious, Musibau said.
“There is no doubt that the firefighters have been very active and responsive to emergencies in the state.and that is what they are meant to do.
“And I want to affirm that they are actually putting in their best to ensure that lives and properties are safer and fire and other emergency situations are reduced to the barest minimum.
“There has been a tremendous improvement in safety delivery in the state.
“People are taking precaution because of the extension of advocacy, which is actually going to residential to ensure there is reduction,” he said.
The International FireFighters’ Day (IFFD) is a day to thank all firefighters for their extraordinary commitment, exceptional courage and their selflessness.
IFFD was instituted following Jan. 4, 1999 death of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia.
