New policy aims to reduce false remote fire alarm call outs

From 1 April, end users with poorly performing systems will be required to apply for Unique Reference Number (URN) from their Fire service to continue to receive an immediate response to their fire alarm. This will become mandatory for all non-domestic systems from 1 April 2007.

The BSIA says the increase in false alarms from fire systems has become a real problem in recent years. In 2002, over 279,000 false alarms were received by Fire and Rescue Services in the UK, representing over 25% of all calls.

“This has been caused by the increased number of fire systems being installed into buildings, and the fact that a large number of them do not adhere to standards,” the BSIA’s Kiri Gray said.

The ‘Policy on Fire and Rescue Services Response to Remotely Monitored Fire Alarm Systems’ was written by the Chief fire Officers Association in consultation with the BSIA and the British Fire Protection systems Association, and has received the backing of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

“The new policy aims to reduce the number of false alarms generated by fire alarm systems, by requiring remotely monitored systems to be designed, installed, commissioned and maintained to appropriately high standards,” BSIA technical director Alex Carmichael said. “This will benefit businesses, for whom repeated false alarms cost time and money, and can result in complacency amongst staff.”

The fire alarms policy follows the successful introduction of an Association of Chief Police Officers policy designed to reduce false intruder alarms.

The BSIA says the fire alarms policy was created to target systems which repeatedly give out false alarms.

“If a system doesn’t have a URN, and does not trigger any false alarms, it will continue to get an immediate fire service response,” Gray said.

“From 1 April 2005, end users with poorly performing systems will be required to apply for a URN from their Fire Service to continue to receive an immediate response to their fire alarm.”