AM Welcomes Investment

CARL SARGEANT WELCOMES £45MILLION FIRE SERVICE INVESTMENT

Carl Sargeant AM for Alyn & Deeside has welcomed a new £45m digital radio system for Welsh fire-fighters.

Firelink is a state of the art, digital radio system which provides immediate two way communication between fire-fighter teams in Wales.
The system also connects them with their counterparts in England and Scotland, allowing immediate UK wide co-ordination in the event of a nation-wide emergency. Under the previous communication system, crew to crew connections were not always possible and messages were relayed through a control room. The new system allows direct contact between fire-fighters from different Fire and Rescue Services and other emergency services.
Officials say the radios allow co-ordinated responses to wider emergencies and give more safety to fire crews and the public they protect.

Alyn & Deeside Labour AM Carl Sargeant said: "With the threat of a major emergency or large scale incident, it is essential our fire crews have the equipment they need to co-ordinate a multi-agency response. The safety of our local fire-fighters and the people they protect is of the utmost importance and I am delighted to support this initiative."

More than 1,000 new terminals have been fitted in vehicles and control rooms.

The digital element of the new system should also offer better security, as members of the public can no longer listen in to communication over the airwaves.

It will also mean that response time can be improved, as the closest appliances are sent to incidents.