English: There are now less than half as many fires as there were in 2005, and residential fires, which account for most fire deaths and injuries, are at or close to an all-time low. Whilst this has inevitably reduced the emergency response workload for firefighters in this respect, firefighters still need to be able to respond to any fire or other incident at any time, and a major emergency can still require all available resources across a wide area. So, while there have been some modest reductions in firefighter numbers over the past 10 to 15 years, they are nowhere near as great as the reduction in the number of fires. This, though, creates clear potential for the service to do more, and, in particular, to support our NHS. Firefighters already have many of the skills and resources needed for this, and there is strong evidence that this would secure both improved health outcomes and significant savings. In Mid and West Wales, for instance, firefighters from over 20 stations routinely respond to medical incidents in support of the ambulance service. They have saved the lives of hundreds of patients and improved the outcomes for many more. The long-term aim has been and remains to realise this potential. In March 2021, I made a joint statement with the then Minister for Health and Social Services setting out this vision and describing a broader role for the fire and rescue services. It had three main elements: emergency medical response to cases where speed is critical to survival, such as cardiac arrest; responding to uninjured fallers, who are not a top priority for the ambulance service but whose condition can quickly deteriorate; and preventing falls and other accidents in the home. To give me assurance that this could be safely realised, our chief fire and rescue adviser, Dan Stephens, undertook a review in late 2021 of the scope that the service has to take on a broader role. His review concluded that such capability existed, but that changes to working practices were needed to realise it safely. In particular, much of the capacity arose during the whole-time night shift, when firefighters are rarely involved in emergency response and are permitted to rest or sleep if they are not, whilst evidence shows that most medical emergencies occur during the day. More immediately troubling was that, during this review, the chief fire and rescue adviser found evidence that changes were needed anyway, as firefighters were not spending enough time undertaking activities to reduce the likelihood of fire or in training to ensure their skills were fully maintained. Any shortcomings in training are particularly concerning. Firefighting is a highly complex profession, requiring mastery of a wide range of processes, tactics and equipment, and full understanding of the hazards present at a fire or other incident. If firefighters are not supported to be appropriately trained, they cannot work safely, which jeopardises their own safety and those they are called upon to protect. And as is the case that, naturally, skills will deteriorate if not used regularly, the decline in the incidence of fire reinforces the need for regular, high-quality training. As a consequence, the chief fire and rescue adviser undertook a further detailed review of firefighter training, which was published last month. This found several potentially serious issues, such as a lack of access to realistic training facilities and undue reliance on low-ranking officers - through no fault of their own - who may have no background in training. Most concerning, the chief fire and rescue adviser made an interim recommendation last March that our three fire and rescue services should urgently establish how much training time is needed, yet none of them has made a serious attempt to do so. I therefore wrote to the chairs of the fire and rescue authorities on 6 October, urging them to accept and act on these recommendations without delay. I was pleased that the north Wales fire and rescue authority did so and set out in their detailed response a comprehensive programme to identify and address any shortcomings. I would urge this example to be followed by the others. There are three basic reasons why action is needed. Firstly, firefighting has become much more complex in recent years due to advances in technology, expansions of the service's role - for instance, to include floods and road accidents - and changes to building materials and contents. Yet the service's working practices and available training time are largely unchanged since the 1970s. Secondly, there are particular concerns around retained or on-call firefighters, who make up most of the workforce and cover the great majority of Wales. They only have access to two or three hours training per week - a small fraction of their whole-time colleagues - yet they must maintain the same skills to the same level. That risks asking too much of these hugely dedicated crews. There are wider and long-term issues around the sustainability of the retained duty system, and we will work in partnership with employers and trade unions to address this. But the problems around training are an immediate concern. Thirdly, and most importantly, these are not just technical or hypothetical risks; they place firefighters and the public in obvious danger. Training deficiencies have been implicated in almost all firefighter fatalities in the UK for the past 25 years, and in the tragic loss of life at Grenfell Tower and elsewhere. I am not prepared to wait for tragedy to trigger action here. Whilst we remain committed to a broader role for firefighters, we cannot ask firefighters to take on additional responsibilities while there are concerns about the safety of existing practices and training. We will return to that objective once we have full assurance around these issues. We now expect the employers to fully address these issues robustly and urgently, something that I am sure Members would agree with. To fail to do so would not be the actions of a responsible employer. The Welsh Government is clear that action is needed on firefighter training, and we will take appropriate action to ensure that happens. Ensuring the safety of the workforce is among the most important duties of any employer, and a key component of social partnership. That is especially so for firefighting, which is inherently dangerous and which also involves direct protection of the public. Therefore, it is my intention to establish a social partnership forum for fire and rescue services, which will involve both employers and trade unions in tackling these and other issues collaboratively, and will meet for the first time early next year. In the shorter term, the very real concerns around training need to be addressed, but the forum will provide us with a platform in the longer term to work together to support and sustain our fire and rescue services and those who provide them.
Welsh: Erbyn hyn mae llai na hanner cymaint o danau ag oedd yn 2005, ac mae tanau preswyl, sy'n cyfrif am y rhan fwyaf o farwolaethau ac anafiadau tân, yn agos at neu ar eu hisaf erioed. Er bod hyn yn anochel wedi lleihau'r llwyth gwaith ymateb brys i ddiffoddwyr tân yn hyn o beth, mae angen o hyd i ddiffoddwyr tân allu ymateb i unrhyw dân neu ddigwyddiad arall ar unrhyw adeg, a gall argyfwng mawr barhau i fod angen yr holl adnoddau sydd ar gael ar draws ardal eang. Felly, er bod rhai gostyngiadau cymedrol wedi bod yn nifer y diffoddwyr tân dros y 10 i 15 mlynedd diwethaf, nid ydynt yn agos at fod mor fawr â'r gostyngiad yn nifer y tanau. Er hynny, mae hyn yn creu potensial clir i'r gwasanaeth wneud mwy, ac, yn benodol, i gefnogi ein GIG. Mae gan ddiffoddwyr tân lawer o'r sgiliau a'r adnoddau sydd eu hangen ar gyfer hyn eisoes, ac mae tystiolaeth gref y byddai hyn yn sicrhau canlyniadau iechyd gwell ac arbedion sylweddol. Yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru, er enghraifft, mae diffoddwyr tân o dros 20 o orsafoedd yn ymateb yn rheolaidd i ddigwyddiadau meddygol i gefnogi'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans. Maen nhw wedi achub bywydau cannoedd o gleifion ac wedi gwella'r canlyniadau i lawer mwy. Y nod tymor hir fu, ac yw, i wireddu'r potensial hwn. Ym mis Mawrth 2021, fe wnes i ddatganiad ar y cyd â'r Gweinidog Iechyd a Gwasanaethau Cymdeithasol ar y pryd yn nodi'r weledigaeth hon ac yn disgrifio swyddogaeth ehangach i'r gwasanaethau tân ac achub. Roedd ganddo dair prif elfen: ymateb meddygol brys i achosion lle mae brys yn hanfodol i oroesi, fel ataliad ar y galon; ymateb i bobl sydd wedi syrthio ond heb eu hanafu, nad ydynt yn brif flaenoriaeth i'r gwasanaeth ambiwlans ond y gall eu cyflwr ddirywio'n gyflym; ac atal cwympiadau a damweiniau eraill yn y cartref. Er mwyn rhoi sicrwydd i mi y gellid gwireddu hyn yn ddiogel, cynhaliodd ein prif gynghorydd tân ac achub, Dan Stephens, adolygiad ar ddiwedd 2021 o'r gallu sydd gan y gwasanaeth i ymgymryd â swyddogaeth ehangach. Daeth ei adolygiad ef i'r casgliad fod gallu o'r fath yn bodoli, ond bod angen newidiadau i arferion gwaith i'w wireddu'n ddiogel. Yn benodol, roedd llawer o'r gallu yn ystod y shifft nos gyfan, pan nad yw diffoddwyr tân yn aml yn rhan o ymateb brys ac yn cael gorffwys neu gysgu os nad ydynt, tra bod tystiolaeth yn dangos bod y rhan fwyaf o argyfyngau meddygol yn digwydd yn ystod y dydd. Rhywbeth a barai ofid mwy uniongyrchol oedd bod y prif gynghorydd tân ac achub, yn ystod yr adolygiad hwn, wedi canfod tystiolaeth bod angen newidiadau beth bynnag, gan nad oedd diffoddwyr tân yn treulio digon o amser yn cynnal gweithgareddau i leihau'r tebygolrwydd o dân neu yn hyfforddi i sicrhau bod eu sgiliau yr hyn y dylen nhw fod. Mae unrhyw ddiffygion mewn hyfforddiant yn arbennig o bryderus. Mae diffodd tân yn broffesiwn hynod gymhleth, sydd angen meistrolaeth ar ystod eang o brosesau, tactegau ac offer, a dealltwriaeth lawn o'r peryglon sy'n bodoli gyda thannau neu ddigwyddiad arall. Os na chefnogir diffoddwyr tân i gael eu hyfforddi'n briodol, ni allant weithio'n ddiogel, sy'n peryglu eu diogelwch eu hunain a'r rhai y gelwir arnynt i'w hamddiffyn. Ac fel sy'n wir, yn naturiol, bydd sgiliau'n dirywio os na chânt eu defnyddio'n rheolaidd, mae'r dirywiad yn nifer yr achosion o dân yn atgyfnerthu'r angen am hyfforddiant rheolaidd o ansawdd uchel. O ganlyniad, cynhaliodd y prif gynghorydd tân ac achub adolygiad manwl pellach o hyfforddiant diffoddwyr tân, a gyhoeddwyd fis diwethaf. Canfu hyn nifer o faterion a allai fod yn ddifrifol, megis diffyg mynediad at gyfleusterau hyfforddi realistig a dibyniaeth ormodol ar swyddogion isel eu safle - heb unrhyw fai arnyn nhw - a allai fod heb hyfforddiant cefndirol. Yn fwyaf pryderus, fe wnaeth y prif gynghorydd tân ac achub argymhelliad dros dro fis Mawrth diwethaf y dylai ein tri gwasanaeth tân ac achub sefydlu ar frys faint o amser hyfforddi sydd ei angen, ond eto does yr un ohonyn nhw wedi gwneud ymgais ddifrifol i wneud hynny. Felly, ysgrifennais at gadeiryddion yr awdurdodau tân ac achub ar 6 Hydref, yn eu hannog i dderbyn a gweithredu ar yr argymhellion hyn yn ddi-oed. Roeddwn yn falch bod awdurdod tân ac achub y gogledd wedi gwneud hynny ac wedi amlinellu rhaglen gynhwysfawr yn eu hymateb manwl i nodi a mynd i'r afael ag unrhyw ddiffygion. Byddwn yn annog y lleill i ddilyn yr esiampl hon. Mae tri rheswm sylfaenol pam fod angen gweithredu. Yn gyntaf, mae diffodd tân wedi dod yn llawer mwy cymhleth yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf oherwydd datblygiadau mewn technoleg, ehangu swyddogaeth y gwasanaeth - er enghraifft, i gynnwys llifogydd a damweiniau ffordd - a newidiadau i ddeunyddiau a chynnwys adeiladu. Eto i gyd, nid yw arferion gwaith y gwasanaeth a'r amser hyfforddi sydd ar gael wedi newid i raddau helaeth ers y 1970au. Yn ail, mae pryderon penodol ynghylch diffoddwyr tân neilltuedig neu ar alwad, sy'n ffurfio'r rhan fwyaf o'r gweithlu ac yn cynnwys y mwyafrif helaeth o Gymru. Dim ond dwy neu dair awr o hyfforddiant yr wythnos sydd ganddyn nhw bob wythnos - ffracsiwn bach o'r hyn a gaiff eu cydweithwyr llawn amser - ond eto mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw gynnal yr un sgiliau i'r un lefel. Mae hynny'n peryglu gofyn gormod o'r criwiau hynod ymroddedig hyn. Mae materion ehangach a hirdymor yn ymwneud â chynaliadwyedd y system dyletswyddau neilltuedig, a byddwn yn cydweithio â chyflogwyr ac undebau llafur i fynd i'r afael â hyn. Ond mae'r problemau ynglŷn â hyfforddiant yn bryder sydd angen rhoi sylw iddo ar unwaith. Yn drydydd, ac yn bwysicaf oll, nid risgiau technegol neu ddamcaniaethol yn unig yw'r rhain; maen nhw'n gosod diffoddwyr tân a'r cyhoedd mewn perygl amlwg. Mae diffygion hyfforddi wedi bod yn gysylltiedig â bron pob marwolaeth diffoddwr tân yn y DU yn y 25 mlynedd diwethaf, ac yn y golled drasig o fywyd yn Nhŵr Grenfell a mannau eraill. Nid wyf yn barod i aros am drasiedi i sbarduno'r camau yma. Er ein bod yn parhau i fod yn ymrwymedig i swyddogaeth ehangach i ddiffoddwyr tân, ni allwn ofyn i ddiffoddwyr tân ysgwyddo cyfrifoldebau ychwanegol tra bod pryderon am ddiogelwch arferion a hyfforddiant presennol. Byddwn yn dychwelyd at yr amcan hwnnw unwaith y bydd gennym ni sicrwydd llawn ynghylch y materion hyn. Rydym ni nawr yn disgwyl i'r cyflogwyr fynd i'r afael yn llawn â'r materion hyn yn gadarn ac ar frys, rhywbeth rwy'n siŵr y byddai Aelodau'n cytuno ag ef. Byddai methu â gwneud hynny yn weithred anghyfrifol ar ran cyflogwyr. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn glir bod angen gweithredu ar hyfforddiant diffoddwyr tân, a byddwn yn cymryd camau priodol i sicrhau bod hynny'n digwydd. Mae sicrhau diogelwch y gweithlu ymhlith dyletswyddau pwysicaf unrhyw gyflogwr, ac yn elfen allweddol o bartneriaeth gymdeithasol. Mae hynny'n arbennig o wir ar gyfer diffodd tân, sydd yn gynhenid beryglus ac sydd hefyd yn cynnwys diogelu'r cyhoedd yn uniongyrchol. Felly, fy mwriad yw sefydlu fforwm partneriaeth gymdeithasol ar gyfer gwasanaethau tân ac achub, a fydd yn cynnwys cyflogwyr ac undebau llafur yn mynd i'r afael â'r materion hyn a materion eraill ar y cyd, a bydd yn cwrdd am y tro cyntaf yn gynnar y flwyddyn nesaf. Yn y tymor byrrach, mae angen mynd i'r afael â'r pryderon gwirioneddol iawn ynghylch hyfforddiant, ond bydd y fforwm yn rhoi llwyfan i ni yn y tymor hirach i gydweithio i gefnogi a chynnal ein gwasanaethau tân ac achub a'r rhai sy'n eu darparu.