A consultation has started on the issue of where spending cuts will be made to fire services in South Wales.
The options on the table for the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) are to either close down Porth fire station or remove the on-call engine at Treforest, near Pontypridd.
Members of the authority will discuss whether resources can be distributed throughout Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr and Caerphilly as part of the Fire Cover Review, which is the third attempt to save money.
Some firefighters are against these latest proposals though as they are concerned about the implications, Wales Online has reported.
A spokesman for the service said the number of fire casualties and incidents that the service attended has declined and that is has been working “tirelessly” to reduce risks and keep people safe.
Huw Jakeway, chief fire officer for SWFRS, added that the Fire Cover Review had involved a thorough analysis of how resources are allocated as part of an effort to be the “most efficient and effective, and safest fire and rescue service across South Wales”.
However, chairman of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Cerith Griffiths said the recent grass fires show the need to avoid both of the proposed cuts: “I would urge senior fire service personnel to consider the consequences of reducing the current level of cover. I know FBUmembers are extremely worried about the potential fallout of losing an appliance from Porth or Pontypridd.”
Copyright Press Association 2014