Skip to main content
Our treatment of firefighters is now a global scandal
Research at the highest level has shown firefighters are exposed to cancer-causing agents in the line of duty — but unlike many other countries we are not taking necessary steps to address this, writes LUKE FLETCHER MS

LAST FEBRUARY, I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to throw myself into some of the extensive training undertaken by our fire and rescue services.

I joined the South Wales Fire and Rescue team who invited me to the Cardiff Gate training centre and Bridgend fire station where I attempted search-and-rescue drills in cramped, smoke-filled rooms and mazes of confined crawl spaces, all in complete darkness.

Needless to say, I left both experiences with a renewed appreciation for what our service people do day in and day out. One thing was abundantly clear to me: we are incredibly lucky to have such a skilled group of people who are willing to go above and beyond while putting themselves at risk.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
NATIONALISATION CALL UNHEEDED: Assorted notables at the location of the new Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) on Monday July 14 2025 - Tata Steel gets £500 million while the local population a loss of 2,800 job
Wales / 28 February 2026
28 February 2026

LUKE FLETCHER outlines Plaid Cymru bold plans for wide-ranging policy consultations with trade unions in Wales

CLIMATE CHANGE: Firefighters tackle a wildfire on Saddleworth Moor, Greater Manchester, June 2018
TUC Congress 2025 / 8 September 2025
8 September 2025

Since 2010, one in five firefighter jobs has disappeared alongside 30% funding cuts — all while climate breakdown brings record blazes and flooding. It’s time to fund our fire service properly, writes FBU general secretary STEVE WRIGHT

The main entrance of The Guardian Newspaper office on York Way, north London
Features / 21 July 2025
21 July 2025

At the very moment Britain faces poverty, housing and climate crises requiring radical solutions, the liberal press promotes ideologically narrow books while marginalising authors who offer the most accurate understanding of change, writes IAN SINCLAIR