False fire alarms cause strain on fire service resources

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has attended 2,695 false fire alarms over the past five years, according to data obtained by Personal Injury Claims UK.

The report reveals that since April 2019, the service has experienced a consistent number of false alarm incidents, with annual visits ranging between 1,100 and 1,800.

This equates to an average of four false alarms per day, putting pressure on both financial and operational resources.

The highest number of false alarm callouts occurred from 2019 to 2020, when the service responded to 1,734 incidents.

This number dropped to 1,153 the following year, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting restrictions.

Recent increases in false alarm callouts

Following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, false fire alarm callouts in Cambridgeshire saw an increase, with the number rising to 1,260 in the 2022/23 period.

The trend continued over the past year, with 1,382 false alarms recorded for 2023/24.

Common causes for these false alarms include faulty or poorly maintained equipment, fumes from cooking, dust from construction, and aerosols near sensors.

The financial impact of these incidents has also fluctuated over time, with costs ranging between £60,000 and £80,000 annually for the fire service.

Fire service addresses false alarm impact

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has detailed the categorisation of false alarms on their website, breaking them into three types: automatic fire alarms, false alarms with good intent, and malicious false alarms.

The service noted: “Of our total incidents, 33.1% were automatic fire alarms, 17.2% were false alarms, good intent.”

The service also highlighted that the rise in fire-related incidents correlates with the growing population in the county.

National impact of false fire alarms

Across the UK, false fire alarms remain a prevalent issue, accounting for 38% of all incidents attended by fire services.

A study conducted by BRE Group estimates the overall cost of false alarms to be approximately £1 billion annually.

If this trend continues, false alarms could pose a risk to both public safety and the effectiveness of emergency services.

Personal Injury Claims UK offers assistance to those affected by fires, including individuals suffering injuries from faulty appliances.

Their services include a 24-hour helpline and online claims support.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service reports over 2,000 false alarm callouts since 2019: Summary

As reported by Personal Injury Claims UK, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service has responded to 2,695 false fire alarms since April 2019.

The data shows that false alarm incidents have ranged from 1,100 to 1,800 per year, with the highest number occurring in 2019/20.

Costs associated with these incidents have fluctuated between £60,000 and £80,000 annually.

The service categorises false alarms into automatic fire alarms, false alarms with good intent, and malicious alarms.

Nationally, false alarms account for 38% of all fire service incidents, costing the UK around £1 billion annually.