Background
Fire alarms have a long and fascinating history, and their roots can be traced back to ancient Rome. As you can imagine, fires were a common hazard in the bustling streets of Rome, which were full of wooden buildings. To help with these hazards, a dedicated firefighting force known as the Vigiles was established during the reign of Emperor Augustus in the 1st century AD.
The Vigiles were a group of skilled firefighters and watchmen responsible for maintaining public safety in the city. They were divided into cohorts, each assigned to a specific region of Rome. The primary role of the Vigiles was to detect and respond to fires quickly, minimising their spread and preventing widespread destruction.
To ensure prompt response times, the Vigiles established a rudimentary system of fire alarms. Watchmen stationed at strategic points in the city would look out for smoke or flames in the event of a fire. Once they spotted a fire, they would raise the alarm by sounding horns or using clappers to create loud noises. These alarm signals would alert the nearby Vigiles and the general populace to the danger.
The modern fire alarm system we know today results from various technological advancements and contributions from several inventors and innovators. Attributing its invention to a single individual is challenging, as it involved the collective efforts of many researchers, engineers, and companies over time. These include Francis Robbins Upton, George Andrew Darby and Walter Kidde.
Today many of us take fire alarm systems for granted. Under the Fire Safety Order 2005, businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure that they are installed and properly maintained. Therefore we assume that what is installed works as intended.
The Fire Safety Order 2005, which applies to all non-domestic premises in England and Wales, including workplaces, commercial buildings, public areas, and common areas of residential buildings, such as shared hallways and stairwells, places a legal responsibility on the “responsible person,” typically the employer, business owner, or building manager, to ensure adequate fire safety measures are in place.
Fire alarm systems in the UK are designed to detect the presence of fire and alert building occupants so they can evacuate safely. These systems are crucial for ensuring the early detection of fires and minimising potential damage and loss of life.
However, they are not infallible and false fire alarms pose challenges to both businesses and Fire and Rescue Services regarding costs and resources. These include business disruption, potential loss of revenue, diverting resources away from real fires, and additional business costs should this be a persistent problem.
In 2019-2020, false alarms constituted approximately 40% of all incidents attended by fire and rescue services in England, amounting to over 230,000 incidents. For the year ending September 2022, the FRS attended 238,885 false fire alarm activations. That’s the largest total of false fire alarms recorded in over a decade and an increase of 10% compared to the previous year.
July 1st Changes (Scotland)
However, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) has issued the following notice with the increasing number of unwanted fire alarm signals, AKA false alarms.
From 1 July 2023, we will stop attending automatic fire alarm (AFA) call-outs to commercial business and workplace premises, such as factories, offices, shops and leisure facilities - unless a fire has been confirmed.
This means those responsible for workplace premises must safely investigate a fire before calling 999. In all instances, those calling the FRS will need to confirm that there is a fire.
This change does not apply to sleeping premises, such as hospitals, care homes, hotels or domestic dwellings which will continue to get an emergency response.
In 2014, The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC), the professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service, updated its Code 2010 of Practice. The COP includes the following points:
In view of this message, it is advisable to become familiar with the following.
- Supporting the Responsible Person
- FRS interventions
- Stakeholder engagement
- Call Filtering by FRS Control operators
- Reducing attendance
CFOA Guidance for the Reduction of False Alarms & Unwanted Fire Signals (Wed, 09 Jul 2014)
Code of Practice: Best Practice for Summoning a Fire Response via Fire Alarm Monitoring Organisations (Wed, 09 Jul 2014)
How to investigate your fire alarm
How You Can Reduce Your Risk
- Regularly check and maintain equipment
- Review your fire safety risk assessment
- Create a plan to reduce false alarms and communicate it
- Book a fire alarm assessment
- Train your staff. Ligtas offer the following courses:
What Else?
Read the following from the HSE. Event safety - Planning for incidents and emergencies (hse.gov.uk)
Call Ligtas, who can advise you on innovative ways to harness technological advancements and implement common-sense approaches to support your business, keep you safe and beyond compliance and help reduce costs.
By implementing preventative measures and promoting awareness, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of false alarms, minimise associated costs, and ensure that fire alarm systems remain reliable and effective in protecting life and property during genuine emergencies.
