Three Pembrokeshire firefighters have been deployed to Haiti where they will be a part of the international recovery operation.

Pembroke Dock station watch manager Gerwyn Howells; Haverfordwest crew manager Phil Irving and Pembroke Dock fire fighter Paul Dyson were called from their beds in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

They joined four other colleagues from Mid & West Wales Fire & Rescue Service and are part of the UK's rescue team, totalling61 personnel, two search dogs and 12 tonnes of equipment, joining the international search and rescue deployment.

Geraint, Phil and Paul are part of the team of volunteers specially trained to deal with this kind of emergency, using specialist rescue equipment. They respond on behalf of the Government to requests for assistance following overseas disasters.

A request for mobilisation of the UK team came from the Department for International Development shortly after the earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale hit Haiti at around 10pm (GMT) on Tuesday.

The team arrived by chartered aircraft in the Dominican Republic at 6am this morning and are now travelling to Port-au- Prince.

When they arrive at the city they will be tasked with specific duties including locating casualties and opening up buildings to get them out.

It is not yet known how long the Pembrokeshire firefighters will remain in Haiti, indeed as the scale of the situation unfolds the size of the UK team may be increased.

"On behalf of the fire fighters in Pembrokeshire I'd like to say we are immensely proud of them," said Pembrokeshire county commander, Nick Webley.

"We wish them all the success in the work they are about to undertake and that they will come home safely."

Chief fire officer Richard Smith added: "We are saddened by the scale of this disaster in Haiti and the death and destruction it has brought.

"I am pleased that Mid & West Wales firefighters have volunteered to play their part in the international rescue assistance offered to Haiti and I wish them well knowing that they will do all they can to save lives and reduce suffering."