False Alarms!
What is a False Alarm?
A False Alarm is when the Fire Brigade attends a premises in response to a Fire Alarm where there is no FIRE.
False Alarms disrupt the community, cause complacency and business down time due to evacuations, and divert responders away from genuine emergencies, which could potentially lead to loss of life and property.
In 2015, 97% of the Automatic Fire Alarms (AFA) that Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responded to were due to False Alarms, In Queensland QFRS refer to a False Alarms as an Unwanted Alarm.
False Alarm fast facts: per Annum
| Region |
Number of False Alarm Call Outs |
Attendance Fees |
% of Call Outs identified as a False Alarm |
|---|---|---|---|
| NSW / ACT | 48,000 | $1,600 | 97% |
| TAS | 3,164 | $331 | |
| QLD | 18,000 | $1,254 | |
| VIC | 14,000 | $2,000 | |
| WA | 4,293 | $750 | |
| SA | 4,000 | $600 | |
| NT | 3,000 | $885 |
These charges recover less than 25% of the estimated full costs of attending an unwanted alarm activation.
Source: 2017 AU Fire Brigade References
State Fire Brigades, source data regarding False/Unwanted Alarms.
| NSW | Fire & Rescue NSW |
| Queensland | Queensland Fire & Emergency Services |
| Victoria | Metropolian Fire Service |
| Western Australia | Department of Fire & Emergency Services |
How do we Eliminate False or Unwanted Alarms?
Using Siemens Neural Smoke Detectors with ASA Technology
