Q1. What is changing?
From 1 February 2024, Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service is introducing a new False Alarm Policy that will change how a response is made to automatic fire alarms in some types of premises.
Q2. If a fire is confirmed, is there any change?
No. If a fire, or signs of a fire, are confirmed, sufficient resources will always be mobilised immediately.
Q3. What are the signs of a fire?
Signs of fire include visual flame, smoke, a smell of burning, or a strong indicator from a fire alarm system.
Where one of these scenarios arises, the caller should state that signs of a fire are confirmed. This is to ensure there is a simple and consistent approach for all types of premises.
Q4. What is a strong indicator from a fire alarm system?
A strong indicator from a fire alarm system is when:
- a multi-sensing detector* has activated;
- multiple detectors have been activated;
- sprinklers have activated; or
- fire suppression systems have been activated.
Where one of these scenarios arises, the caller should state that signs of a fire are confirmed. This is to ensure there is a simple and consistent approach for all types of premises.
*A multi-sensing detector activates if there is more than one fire indicator, such as heat and smoke. They are not to be confused with a combination alarm that will activate if there is one indicator, such as heat or smoke.
Q5. What type of premises are affected?
Occupied premises that do not contain sleeping accommodation are affected.
This will include commercial business and workplace premises, such as factories, offices, shops and leisure facilities.
The cause of the alarm should be safely investigated before calling 999.
Q6. What type of premises will not be affected?
The following types of premises will not be affected and will continue to get an emergency response:
- sleeping premises, such as hospitals, care homes, hotels or domestic dwellings;
- unoccupied premises such as churches, chapels, community halls, public buildings, schools or doctors surgeries; and
- premises where the type is unknown.
If a fire, or signs of a fire, have not been confirmed, one appliance will be mobilised to investigate.
Q7. Why is a change being made?
In the 6 years from 2017 to 2022, 46,774 mobilisations (98.7%) were made to automatic fire alarm incidents that turned out to be false alarms.
In 2022, the highest number of appliances (10,294) were mobilised to automatic fire alarms in the history of NIFRS.
The number of false alarms has increased to an unsustainable level, therefore change is necessary.
Q8. What is the impact of false alarms?
The impact of false alarms includes:
- diverting emergency services away from people who may be in life-threatening situations and who need urgent help;
- disruption of business due to downtime, time wasted, and loss of business;
- erosion of users’ confidence in the value and reliability of fire alarm systems;
- discouragement of people taking alarm signals seriously;
- negative impact on managers and monitoring organisations dealing with false alarms;
- unnecessary risk of accidents to firefighters and the public whilst responding;
- disruption to the training of NIFRS personnel and the delivery of community safety initiatives;
- cost to businesses of On-Call Firefighters being released; and
- drain on public finances.
Q9. What information should be passed to NIFRS to ensure effective emergency call handling?
The information that must be provided to NIFRS to ensure effective emergency call handling includes:
- an accurate address of the premises;
- the use of the premises;
- if the premises are occupied or unoccupied;
- if the premises contain sleeping accommodation;
- the cause of the alarm if known or unknown;
- if there are signs of fire (flames, heat, smoke, or smell) and their location;
- if there are persons trapped or missing;
- specific access arrangements such as a key code, or premises information box; and
- if a key holder has been mobilised and their estimated time of arrival.
For Telecare (social alarm) monitoring organisations who monitor an individual alarm in a self-contained flat, which can be within larger premises, and with a voice box to be able to speak to the occupier, it is very important that accurate information is provided, in addition to providing advice provided to the occupier.
If a fire has been confirmed, or it is confirmed that persons are trapped, NIFRS will mobilised significant additional resources.
If it has not been possible to speak to the occupier, or they deliberately cut off the call, or a fire has not been confirmed, it is important that that information is provided to ensure that NIFRS do not mobilise additional unnecessary resources.
Q10. How should a fire alarm system be installed and maintained?
Fire alarm systems should be designed, installed, commissioned, managed, and maintained in accordance with British Standard 5839: Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems for Buildings.
BS5839 Part 1 should not be applied prescriptively, e.g. without consideration of the design and use of the building. This can result in conflict with other areas of BS5839; such as Section 3 – Limitation of false alarms, which contains guidance on filtering measures including design, detector selection, time-related systems, and so on.
BS5839 Part 6 recommends that prior to establishing a monitored connection in domestic premises, guidance on the avoidance of false alarms (as contained in BS5839 Part 6 Annex D) should be sent to the occupier or landlord.
Designers, installers, commissioners, acceptors, maintainers and managers of fire alarm and fire detection systems should fully utilise the innovative applications in design and make use of permitted variations as necessary in their application of filtering measures.
The application of a fire alarm and fire detection system should complement the overall fire risk assessment, including consideration of the effects on business continuity for the occupier/s process and for minimising unnecessary fire and rescue services emergency response.
Q11. If a manual call point has been activated what should you do?
A manual call point should only ever be activated if there is a confirmed fire. However, many are activated accidentally or maliciously.
The duty holder should set in place arrangements suitable for the premises to confirm if there is a fire.
Q12. If a heat detector activates what should you do?
The duty holder should set in place arrangements suitable for the premises to confirm if there is a fire.
Q13. If you had multi-sensor detectors would this get automatic attendance, as it would be treated as a confirmed fire?
Yes, but an automatic attendance will not occur because NIFRS is unable to hold information on the type of system installed in specific premises. A multi-sensor detector is a strong indicator of fire. The caller should state that signs of a fire are confirmed.
This is to ensure there is a simple and consistent approach for all types of premises.
Q14. Can fire alarm monitoring organisations identify the device which has actuated?
Every system is different. Dutyholders should engage with their fire alarm monitoring organisation to understand the type of system installed and the type of signals it generates.
Q15. What is the procedure for a fast food outlet on the ground floor with a flat above?
If the premises is occupied, the cause of the alarm should be safely investigated before calling 999, to confirm there is a fire or signs of a fire.
Q16. If a school is unoccupied when a fire signal is sent to the alarm receiving centre, will NIFRS attend when there is no one on-site to confirm?
Yes. If a premises is unoccupied, one appliance will be mobilised to investigate.
The duty holder should ensure that arrangements are in place to mobilise a key holder to premises within 20 minutes of the time of call. NIFRS will not await the arrival of a competent person or reset fire alarms.
Q17. What will NIFRS do when they attend an unoccupied property or if a keyholder is not present?
Key holder details are not held for any premises. Premises managers should ensure arrangements are in place to mobilise a key holder within 20 minutes to premises.
Where a key holder is not present or does not attend, the officer in charge will:
- carry out a 360 of the premises where possible;
- use a thermal imaging camera to check for signs of heat;
- check for signs of smoke, through windows, vents, and openings; and
- force an entry when signs of a fire have been confirmed.
Q18. If a key holder cannot attend will this affect NIFRS response?
No. The duty holder should ensure that arrangements are in place to mobilise a key holder to premises within 20 minutes of the time of the call. NIFRS will not await the arrival of a competent person or reset fire alarms.
Q19. What happens when a single alarm system covers multiple buildings?
For example, many hospitals have a building for sleeping, a separate building for admin, and so on, all covered under one alarm panel. Will control operators have to question where the alarm has been activated and make the decision with regard to attendance or not?
The information that must be provided to NIFRS to ensure effective emergency call handling is described in Question 9 above.
It is the duty holder’s responsibility to ensure appropriate fire safety arrangements are in place, this may include an investigation or technological solution. Arrangements will vary depending on the premises type.
Q20. Hospital sites can have a lot of mixed premises under one name. Some of these sites have sleeping blocks but also ancillary buildings. If the NHS switchboard calls NIFRS back to say it’s in a laundry block and no fire is found but the alarm is sounding, will the response be canceled?
The information that must be provided to NIFRS to ensure effective emergency call handling is described in Question 9 above.
In this scenario, if the caller makes a secondary call to confirm the premises do not contain sleeping accommodation and is occupied, and a fire has not been confirmed, the appliance will be turned back.
If a fire or signs of a fire are confirmed, a further call should be made and the resources for a confirmed fire will be mobilised.
Q21. If a call has been made and NIFRS has mobilised, then it is identified that the cause was a false alarm, what should you do?
Call NIFRS back and confirm that it is a false alarm. The appliance will be turned back.
Q22. What will NIFRS response be to premises that have no automatic fire alarm installed?
Where there is no automatic fire alarm installed, NIFRS will ask the caller if there is a fire, or signs of fire, to determine the response required.
Q23. Would historic or heritage buildings get a response if there were no out-of-hours staff on site?
Yes. If a fire, or signs of a fire, have not been confirmed, one appliance will be mobilised to investigate.
Q24. For buildings that contain animals, will they get a response if there are no out-of-hours staff on site?
The caller will be asked if there is a fire, or signs of fire, to determine the response required.
Q25. What action is required by the rail industry in response to NIFRS change to automatic fire alarms?
The rail industry is required to review its fire risk assessments and put in place appropriate procedures to safely investigate a fire alarm before calling NIFRS.
Q26. Are WHATTHREEWORDS acceptable for a location?
They should only be used if the caller is unable to provide an addressable location.
Q27. Will there be an extension to allow business and workplace premises to address complexities/costs?
Dutyholders have been legally required to have in place suitable arrangements to investigate and act on a fire alarm sounding since the introduction of The Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 which came into effect in November 2010.
This has provided an extensive time period for managers to set in place the necessary arrangements and ensure they meet legislative requirements.
NIFRS is the enforcing authority and our fire safety inspectors have inspected many premises to confirm that dutyholders reach the required standards and employees are provided with adequate fire safety training. In addition, callers will also be provided with clear advice at the time of any call.
For these reasons, the change will come into effect from 1 February 2024.
Q28. Where can I get further guidance?
Further guidance is available on our Reducing False Alarms page and our business fire safety pages.
If you require further information or advice in relation to the change in our response to automatic fire alarm actuations from 1 February 2024, then please email [email protected].
Your local area office can also be contacted.
For specific guidance on eliminating false alarms, refer to the Fire Industry Association and the National Fire Chiefs Council.