Lives could be lost across Mid Wales as a result of new European Union working regulations hitting the fire service, it was claimed today.

Montgomeryshire Assembly Member Mick Bates and Kirsty Williams, AM for Brecon and Radnorshire, said more than 1,800 retained firefighters in Wales could be affected by an EU directive, limiting working time to 48 hours a week.

They say 1,836 firefighters across the country would have to give up their work with the service as they already have full-time jobs – leading to slower response times and the loss of lives.

Mr Bates said rural areas such as Powys would be worst hit.

He said: “In areas such as Powys the work of retained firefighters allows emergency cover to extend far beyond the level which would otherwise be possible.

“Full-time firefighters simply could not be employed across our area with anything like the same coverage, the consequences would be slower response times and the potential loss of lives.

“The suggested complications arising from the working time directive must surely have been unintended and the European Parliament should dispose of them as soon as possible.”

Mr Bates and Ms Williams, along with Brecon and Radnorshire MP Roger Williams are launching a petition to save the retained firefighters. Ms Williams said: “Retained firefighters play an absolutely vital role in protecting the public in many parts across Wales.

“Across Brecon and Radnorshire we have an outstanding force of retained firefighters who, given the rural nature of the land, provide cover to the area in a way that full-time firefighters could not.

“Employing the equivalent numbers of full-time firefighters to retained firefighters would be very costly.

“We will fight to ensure that the right for retained fire fighters across Wales to opt-out from the European working time directive is ensured so that the people of Wales are provided with safe and effective fire coverage.”

Ms Williams said Powys had one of the poorest ambulance response times in the country, and the fire service could soon join them.

By Andrew Morris