Fire service seeks to cut down call-outs from false automatic alarms

Fire services for Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead are proposing to stop attending public buildings in response to automatic fire alarms – except in high-risk cases.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) said it needs to change the way it responds to automatic fire alarms because 99 per cent of automatic fire alarm calls are false alarms.

False alarms account for 45 per cent of all the incidents RBFRS attends.

Attending these incidents takes time and resources – and causes ‘significant disruption’ to essential services and training.  

As such, RBFRS is asking for people’s views on how their service responds to automatic fire alarms in public buildings.

This includes shops, offices, leisure centres, colleges and universities, sports grounds, libraries, schools, doctors’ surgeries and warehouses.

RBFRS proposes to continue to send fire engines to automatic fire alarm notifications at ‘higher risk buildings’ where anyone sleeps – such as hotels, hospitals, care homes, houses, and flats.

It will also continue to maintain an emergency response to 999 calls, confirmed fires and automatic fire alarm notifications from residential homes. 

Chair of Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, Councillor Jeff Brooks, said that given the wasted resources on false alarms, the service needs to rethink how it responds to these, for the safety of both communities and firefighters.

This is also in line with national changes, he said.

Cllr Brooks stressed that the proposals are not about making financial savings in the fire service.

“Our focus is solely on reducing risk,” he said.

He added that ‘no decisions have been made’ and feedback from the public will be ‘vital’ for making any changes.

To take part in the consultation, residents can complete the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/2V5GFVY 

They can also email consultations@rbfrs.co.uk  or phone 0118 938 4331.

RBFRS will also be holding online Q&As on April 11, from 12pm to 1pm or 7-8pm. Register to attend at https://tinyurl.com/zcxwbwef

The consultation will run until May 13. All feedback will be considered by the Fire Authority at a meeting in June.