DAYS ARE PUBLISHED

EMERGENCY action plans are being put in place in Ammanford and across Carmarthenshire in readiness for the firefighters strike.

Guidelines have been issued by Carmarthenshire Council to minimise any possible problems.

Staff have been trained in various jobs, such as operating lifts manually and specific actions to take in the event of fire.

All staff are also being urged to be more vigilant than usual, both at work and at home.

It is part of the authority's emergency plan to help ensure vital services are not affected.

Social services staff will be on call day and night in case fire breaks out or an incident occurs at a residential home in Carmarthenshire.

Extra fire drills have been practiced and evacuation procedures checked and double-checked at all authority buildings including schools, leisure centers, libraries, offices and residential homes.

During strike periods, all 999 calls to the fire brigade will be redirected to a control center based at Dyfed Powys Police HQ at Llangunnor.

The strikes will start next week from October 29 – 31; for 48 hours, followed

by another 48-hour walkout from November 2 – 4.

The first eight-day strike is planned for November 6 – 14, the second from November 22 to 30, and a third from December 4 – 12.

The last eight-day strike is due to start on December 16 and end on Christmas Eve.

People are urged to be more vigilant during those times and take extra care to prevent fires or accidents.

Carmarthenshire County Council's emergency planning officer Richard Elms said: “ The principal effect of the industrial action will be that emergency services will not react as quickly and may not be able to provide the same service as usual.

“Fire emergency guidance was developed in anticipation of the industrial action.

“All employees have received instruction and training appropriate to their responsibilities in the event of an emergency.”