Emergency plans by the government to cover a possible strike by firefighters could leave Welsh residents vulnerable, it is being claimed.

An investigation by BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme has revealed that just 40 Green Goddess army fire vehicles would be put on standby.

The fire service has 205 vehicles ready for use under normal circumstances.

Firefighters want better pay

The Fire Brigades Union will announce the result of its first ballot for strike action in 25 years on Friday.

They are seeking up to a 40% pay rise to take their salary from a current maximum of �22,000 to �30,000.

If it goes ahead, the government's "Operation Fresco" will be put in place to provide cover while the firefighters are on strike.

But the plans would see the much reduced number of fire engines manned by 900 RAF personnel instead of the 3,500 professionally trained fire fighters and control staff.

One firefighter from the Mid and West Wales Service, Nick Dodd, has voted for the strike, but thinks the emergency cover is not good enough.

I think the people of Wales are going to be left with sparse and inadequate fire service

Nick Dodd, firefighter

"I think it will be a desperate situation. You can't cover a professional service with Green Goddesses and squaddies - it can't be done.

"They certainly will not be able to provide the cover that the professional fire service gives today," he said.

Mr Dodd told BBC Wales he did not doubt that members would take action over the issue of pay, but expressed concern about how the government planned to provide emergency cover.

Nick Dodd: Warning

"I think the people of Wales are going to be left with sparse and inadequate fire service as a result of the stance being taken by our employers and the government," he said.

"What you have got to remember is our pay claim has been run in a very honourable and professional way throughout.

"We approached our employers in February and tabled a pay request which was backed by independent research.

"They agreed with us at the time that they would approach the government with us shoulder to shoulder.

"They agreed that the professional job that we were doing deserved professional pay.

"However, they reneged on that particular promise and shrank back into the shadows."

Tension

But members of a different fire union, who only work part-time, have said they would never take strike action.

Colin Ive, of the Retained Fire-Fighters Union, told Week In Week Out reporters he would not back his full-time colleagues in their ballot for all-out strike action.

"There's no question that it's going to be a very difficult dispute and I see no winners out of this," he said.

"We really do sympathise with our full-time colleagues but we have made our case very plain.

"We cannot and will not be responsible for any loss of life in our local communities.

"We will not, at the end of the day, have blood on our hands."

Week In Week Out's programme Raising The Alarm can be seen on BBC1 Wales at 10.35pm.