Welsh fire services get £1.3 million funding boost

Fire and rescue services in Wales are set to receive approximately £1.3 million in extra funding to help improve safety and working conditions for firefighters.

The news was announced by Social Justice Minister Carl Sargeant, who said:

“Our firefighters undertake difficult and dangerous work,”

“I believe it is essential that we provide our firefighters with the equipment and facilities they need to continue protecting the people of Wales,”

“I am therefore delighted to announce this funding that I hope will not only improve our firefighters’ working conditions, but crucially, their safety.”

The money will be spent on a number of much-needed improvements to firefighting and fire training infrastructure in certain areas of Wales. Approximately £600,000 of it will be put towards the cost of new equipment, including handheld radios and specialist devices such as thermal imaging cameras.

The remaining £750,000 will be spent on making improvements to the Earlswood Training Centre in Neath. This will include the construction of on-site accommodation and related facilities – i.e. kitchen, toilets, showers, washrooms etc – for up to 12 trainee firefighters, allowing more time to be spent on fire training activities.