The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has appointed Deputy Chief Fire Officer in charge of Operations, Edwin Ekow Blankson as the acting Chief Fire Officer.
His appointment comes after the president reassigned substantive Chief Fire Officer, Dr. Albert Brown Gaizie to National Security.
Dr. Gaizie was appointed in the year 2014 following the retirement of Brigadier General John Bosco Guyiri.
DCFO Ekow Blankson is a certified fire engineer with over twenty-five years experience as an operational fire fighter, investigator, safety officer and special fire management experience in Aircraft fire fighting.
Mr. Ekow Blankson was born on 29th September 1962 in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Having been enlisted into the service in December 1989, the new Chief Fire Officer has risen through the ranks as an Assistant Divisional Officer (ADO) to Deputy Chief Fire Officer (DCFO).
He has served in several capacities including Assistant Director of Operations in 1996, Deputy Director of Operations 2000-2005. Director of Technical Services, Director Rural Fire, Research and Information Technology.
Mr. Ekow Blankson has also served as Regional Commander for Volta, Eastern, Greater Accra and Upper East.
He graduated from the University of Cape Coast with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and a diploma in education after completing his O’ and A’ levels at Secondi College and Adisadel College in 1980 and 1983 respectively.
He is awaiting his postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from Australia Institute of Business.
Mr. Blankson, until his appointment was the most senior and decorated Deputy Chief Fire Officer.
He has professional certification as a fire and explosion investigator from the USA, a graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers (UK) among several others.