FOI Request 2183

Subject: Automatic Fire Alarm (AFD) Systems and False Alarms

Status: Complete

Date received: July 2025

Question Asked:

I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act.

For the past five 12-month time periods specified below, I would like to know the following information about automatic fire detection (AFD) systems and false alarms in your fire & rescue service area:

Time periods: July 2024 to June 2025; July 2023 to June 2024; July 2022 to June 2023; July 2021 to June 2022; July 2020 to June 2021

1. The total number of fire service mobilisations to automatic fire detection (AFD) activations / automatic fire alarms (AFAs) in each of the last five calendar years.

2. Of those, how many were determined to be “unwanted fire signals” (i.e., no evidence of fire or emergency on arrival)

3. Of the automatic fire detection (AFD) activations recorded in each year, how many were verified as false before mobilisation - i.e., no crew dispatched - under any call-challenge or verification process?

4. Does your service impose charges, notices, or penalties for repeat false alarms? If so, please provide any policy documents or guidance outlining the criteria and fees.

Our Response:

Please find below the data requested regarding AFA Incidents in Cheshire between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2025.

Caveats regarding the data provided:

• Total Mobilisations are AFA calls where an appliance left the Station to attend the incident (e.g. for July 2020 to June 2021, Cheshire Fire and Rescue mobilised appliances to 2160 incidents and attended 1940 of them)

• AFA Calls Attended - Data taken from the Incident Recording System where the incident was attended and the initial call type was an AFA

• UWFS - Data taken from the Incident Recording System where the incident was attended, the initial call type was an AFA and the incident has been recorded as an AFA (False Alarm due to Apparatus)

• AFA - Not Attended - AFA calls received by North West Fire Control which may have been challenged and were not attended.

We do not impose charges or penalties for repeat false alarms.

Outcome: Information Provided

FOI responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO