News
‘Test It!’ campaign launched at Royal Welsh Winter Fair
THE THREE Welsh Fire and Rescue Services’ in Wales are telling residents to “Test it” at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair this week.
Staff from the three Services work hard to help make sure people know how to prevent fires from starting, and highlight that the best way of protecting yourself in the event of a fire in the home is to make sure you have a working smoke alarm.
The latest figures show that many residents in Wales still do not have a smoke alarm – in three out of ten dwelling fires that occur in Wales, there is no smoke alarm installed.
Stuart Millington from North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “The ‘Test it’ campaign is aimed at making sure people test their smoke alarms regularly to ensure they are in working order.
“Time and time again firefighters have seen first-hand how a smoke alarm could save you in the event of a fire.”
Mydrian Harries, Corporate Head of Prevention and Protection at the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service added: “In our experience, people killed in house fires are often sleeping at the time. A smoke alarm will wake you up and give you vital extra time to escape and call for help.
“And what better time to remind people of the importance of having smoke alarms than just before Christmas, when the number of incidents we attend rises significantly. And don’t forget to look after your vulnerable friends and relatives by ensuring they have working alarms too.”
Matthew Jones, Head of Home Safety at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service commented, saying: “There really i no excuse for not having a smoke alarm – you can book a Home Safety Check from your local Fire and Rescue Service to get advice, which may include the fitting of a new alarm for free – just call us on 0800 069 1234.
“Keeping our communities safe from risk is our highest priority and ensuring that each home has a working smoke alarm which is tested on a regular basis. Making it part of a regular routine means that householders and their families are kept safe from the risk of fire.”
Follow these top tips to ensure your smoke alarm gives you the best chance of escape in the event of a fire:
- Test your alarm regularly – they recommend once a week. Follow #TestItTuesday.
- Never remove the battery unless replacing it with a new one.
- Do not take it down, put it in a drawer and forget about it – you would be surprised how many people do this.
- If it does not work or beeps when it really should not – then contact the fire service for a replacement.
- Make sure you practice an escape plan in the event that it does go off.
- Even a hardwire smoke alarm needs testing – they have a backup battery in case of a power cut.
News
Judith Rhead murder investigation – Detectives given more time to question suspect

POLICE have been given more time to question a 43-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder.
The man has been in police custody since Saturday night, after being arrested over the death 68-year-old Judith Rhead.
She was found in a residential property in Market Street.
The police now have until Thursday afternoon (Feb 25) to question the suspect.
News
All people eligible for vaccination will get theirs by end of July

PEOPLE eligible for the coronavirus vaccine will get theirs by the end of July, the Health Minister has said.
Wales achieved its target of getting everyone in the first four priority groups vaccinated by the middle of February and is now working on offering the vaccine to those in groups 5 to 9.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set out that people with severe or profound learning disabilities or with a mental illness will be among priority group 6.
Mr Gething said that they were would make sure that no one is left behind.
The latest figures from Public Health Wales show that 878,506 people had received their first dose of the vaccine.
59,279 people have received both doses of the vaccine.
Vaughan Gething, Minister for Health and Social Services, said: “We have achieved our first milestone of offering everyone in the first four priority groups vaccination by mid-February.
“We are now making progress in achieving our next milestone, which is to offer the vaccine to all individuals in priority groups 5 to 9.
“The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has set out that people with a severe/profound learning disability and individuals with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, or any mental illness that causes severe functional impairment, should be invited for vaccination as part of priority group 6.
“There are challenges with identifying individuals within these groups, particularly given the JCVI language is not generally in use in Wales, and we are working hard to make sure that no one is left behind. Today we have published guidance on identifying eligible individuals in these groups and on how to support them to take up their vaccine offers.
“The JCVI has also said that some of our invaluable unpaid carers should be included in priority group 6.
“Today we have also published guidance on identifying those unpaid carers eligible for vaccine prioritisation and the process around this. I am grateful to the national carers’ organisations for their support with this work.”
News
Council want your help to keep Pembrokeshire active

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is asking residents to give their views on local walking and cycling routes.
The Council aims to make journeys on foot and by bicycle easier, safer and more enjoyable for everyone.
In order to design a network that works for all, the Council would like to get the views of as many people as possible, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle. This will help ensure the routes built for walking and cycling work for the whole community.
The consultation focuses on the main towns and villages in Pembrokeshire which have been selected by Welsh Government as the designated localities in the County. These are:
- Fishguard & Goodwick
- Haverfordwest
- Johnston
- Milford Haven
- Neyland
- Pembroke Dock
- Pembroke
- Tenby
- Saundersfoot
- Narberth
Pembrokeshire Council is currently undertaking an Active Travel Network Map consultation (ATNM) which will run in 3 stages
Consultation 1: Residents can take part in the consultation exercise online, hosted by Commonplace at https://Pembrokeshire.commonplace.is/
The interactive map allows participants to flag issues, problems and successes on a plan of the active travel settlement and add comments. Such points could be for example, a pavement that is too narrow or a newly built cycle route that is regarded as a success.
The first stage of the consultation will close on 31 st March 2021.
Consultation 2: Following this, the second step of the consultation will see the Council share the initial findings and ask people what they think of the plans
proposed as a result of the feedback received.
Consultation 3: The third stage of the consultation will give members of the public a final say on the Active Travel Network Maps before they are sent to Welsh Government for approval. These maps will have been produced taking into account public feedback and ideas from consultations 1 and 2.
By upgrading facilities and creating new walking and cycling routes, the Council plans to make Active Travel the popular choice for local journeys, to increase the attractiveness of local communities as places to live and work, improve health and well-being, and help tackle air pollution.
Cllr Phil Baker, Pembrokeshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure, said: “This consultation exercise will produce an Active Travel Network Map which will be a plan of routes the Council will use to inform where improvements to walking and cycling should be made in Pembrokeshire.
“It will help to make journeys on foot or by bicycle easier and safer for everyone, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle often and people who use mobility aids and will build on the increased level of walking and cycling that we have seen over the last 12 months during the pandemic.”
See more information on Active Travel at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/fitness-and-well-being/active-travel
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