FIREFIGHTERS in Gwent could be put at risk if a terrorist attack occurred as they are left waiting for protective suits and equipment, a union official claims.

Firefighters in Newport are among many in the country still awaiting delivery of protective suits and other equipment to deal with a biological or nuclear terrorist attack.

MPs were told yesterday that the right protection and equipment may not yet be available to all firefighters.

Bob Allen, Maindee firefighter and FBU official, said: "We have been waiting for over 12 months now for the suits."

He said that although they had their own chemical suits they would be at risk if there was a mass incident or terrorist attack.

Mr Allen said: "We have two chemical suits on each fire appliance, but that is not enough for everybody to keep safe in the area."

Nigel Williamson, Caldicot firefighter and FBU official, said: "Firefighters worry about the prospect of being placed in a situation where they would be required to respond to a major terrorist threat."

He said: "They feel that they do not get paid anywhere near an acceptable level to face such a situation.

"We have two chemical protection suits, but there are five crew members, so three members of the crew would be left unprotected and would have to be placed in an area where they were not likely to be at risk."

A spokeswoman for the government said that protective suits for firefighters to tackle chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incidents began arriving in areas of the country last month after a project was launched in the wake of September 11.

She said: "The fire service already has 4,000 suits in place nationally and they can be used whenever we need them on a flexible response basis."

She added that full supplies of specialist equipment would not be in place until the late spring or early summer.

The government is to introduce legislation to impose a settlement in the firefighters' dispute.

Announcing the move, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott said it was "extraordinary and unacceptable" that 19,000 British troops were on standby to cover industrial action while a war was being fought.

After Fire Brigades Union (FBU) members defied their executive to reject a revised deal worth 16% over three years, Mr Prescott accused them of "irresponsible" behaviour. He has summoned union leaders and local authority employers to talks next Thursday. The FBU said it was still working towards a negotiated settlement and there would be no strikes until members had discussed the employers' pay offer in a recalled national conference on April 15.