As part of International Control Room Week, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is celebrating the dedicated professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep communities safe. Known as the true Heroes in Headsets, Joint Fire Control colleagues play a critical role in every emergency response, providing the vital connection between those in need and frontline emergency crews.
Operating on behalf of both Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Joint Fire Control is responsible for receiving emergency calls, mobilising resources and supporting operational crews during incidents across large areas of Wales. Every appliance dispatched and every emergency response begins with the expertise, professionalism and quick thinking of control room staff.
This summer brought significant operational challenges as wildfire incidents affected communities across Wales. While firefighters tackled blazes on the ground, Joint Fire Control teams worked around the clock behind the scenes to maintain emergency cover across South Wales and Mid and West Wales.
During periods of sustained demand, control room colleagues managed emergency calls, coordinated resources and provided continuous support to crews dealing with prolonged and complex incidents. Their work ensured that emergency responses remained effective during some of the busiest weeks of the year.
A Challenging Summer by the Numbers
Between 19 July and 1 September, Joint Fire Control:
- Received 8,466 emergency calls
- Handled a peak of 1,006 calls on 13 August alone
- Mobilised 1,232 fire appliances and specialist resources between 11 August and 1 September
The ability of control room staff to remain calm under pressure, assess rapidly evolving situations and coordinate resources effectively proved essential in ensuring communities received assistance when they needed it most.
The Voices Behind the Response
While emergency responders are often the visible face of the fire and rescue service, Joint Fire Control colleagues provide the critical support that enables every incident response to run smoothly. Their work requires exceptional communication skills, rapid decision-making and the ability to manage high-pressure situations at any time of the day or night.
As services across the UK celebrate International Control Room Week, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is recognising the dedication, resilience and professionalism of these often-unsung members of the emergency services family.
The service has also shared the experiences of Joint Fire Control colleagues who worked through this summer’s intense wildfire activity, highlighting the vital role they play in protecting communities across Wales.
Their commitment and expertise ensure that when the public dials 999, help is never far away.
Natalie Pearce, Group Manager Joint Fire Control, said:
“In my 28 years working in fire control, I have experienced some incredibly busy periods, but this summer was among the most demanding. “The volume of calls, the number of major incidents and the sustained pressure on our teams were extraordinary. We had days when calls were coming in almost constantly, while colleagues were also managing resources, supporting firefighters and keeping track of incidents across both service areas. “We had to adapt quickly, bringing in colleagues from other roles, making use of every available desk and working long hours to maintain the response. I’m incredibly proud of how everyone pulled together, including the support we received from colleagues across both services and our emergency service partners.”
SWFRS Watch Manager Hughes
We have three call takers and two radio operators dealing with fire calls, radio messages, make-up messages and requests for support. At times, between South and Mid Wales, we were attending 30 separate incidents, with more than 50 waiting to be assessed for response.
The fire lines are still ringing.
Appliances show as white for available, black for unavailable and red for committed. There was regularly so much red and black that the appliances left to provide fire cover across SWFRS were frighteningly few. We didn’t have relief crews, only the next watch coming on duty.
The fire lines are still ringing.
In 22 years of grass fire seasons, people have always responded to recall. This year, watches were on their knees with tiredness.
Somehow, we answered most calls, mobilised resources, managed the radio, arranged reliefs and refreshments, and kept going, knowing tomorrow would bring more of the same.
We just kept going.
MAWW Control Room Firefighter Walker
I started in Fire Control in February and became part of the watch in May after completing my assessments. I was still relatively new to the role, so nothing could have fully prepared me for what wildfire season would bring.
The biggest thing that stands out to me was the large volume of calls coming into the control room, our calls peaked to 1,006 calls in one day. With appliances committed to incidents across the Service, calls continued to stack up while we waited for resources to become available. There was always something happening, and keeping track of everything during such a busy period was a real challenge.
One thing I will always remember is how everyone pulled together. I responded to recall to duty on numerous occasions to help manage the call volumes and incident numbers. The support from colleagues within Control and across other watches was amazing, and everyone did what they could to help each other through it.
It was also great to see support coming from other fire and rescue services across the UK. It showed that, during such a challenging time, the wider fire and rescue community was willing to come together to support one another.
Having only been in Control for a few months before wildfire season hit, it was a huge learning experience. It gave me a real appreciation of the pressures of the role and the importance of teamwork. I’m proud to have been part of the team and to have seen first-hand the dedication everyone showed when it mattered most.
