
CONCERNS have been raised about a shortage of trained part-time (retained) firefighters. Although there has thankfully been a decline in house fires in recent years, it is still clear that we all depend on a fire crew being available if the worst were ever to happen to us and our family.
Bridgend has a fire station that is manned 24/7 along with a second crew of retained firefighters who step in as back-up to the full time crew.
Although the borough has a second full time station in Maesteg, all the other stations – Porthcawl, Kenfig Hill, Pencoed, Pontycymer and Ogmore Vale - depend on highly trained retained crews. But numbers here are falling – some would say because of changes brought in by the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to their terms and conditions. But in fairness, numbers are also dropping throughout Wales where there are now 328 vacancies. The result is increases in response times.
Whatever the cause, it has to be fixed now. Welsh Government has recently taken over the running of the fire service locally because of other problems and I will be urging ministers to ensure that increased recruitment and training of part-time firefighters takes place so that any gaps in cover can be dealt with.