Impact of automatic fire alarms
If an automatic detection and fire alarm system is correctly maintained it can significantly improve safety by detecting a fire and sounding the alarm at the early stages of a fire’s development. If not correctly managed and maintained this equipment can also cause unwanted or false alarms.
During 2015, 99% of the automatic fire alarm (AFA) calls received were false alarms.
If you discover a fire or smoke as part of your investigation, do not put yourself at risk. Leave the premises quickly and safely, dial 999 and ask for the fire and rescue service.
Some of the major impacts that false alarm calls have on the fire and rescue service are:
- diverting essential services from real fires and rescues
- exposing fire crews and the public to unnecessary risk of accidents
- disruption to training, arson reduction and community safety activities
- cost of unnecessary attendance to the taxpayers
The impact of false alarm calls on the community include:
- disruption to business
- disruption to customer activities
- complacency created when people believe it’s just another false alarm
- Cost to business when on call firefighters are released from work to attend a false alarm.
- disruption to arson reduction, community safety and fire safety activities
- environmental damage from vehicle movement
- a drain on public finances