FOI Request 2239

Subject: False Fire Alarms in Students Halls of Residence

Status: Complete

Date received: October 2025

Question Asked:

Please provide data on fire service callouts to student halls of residence in your area, broken down as follows:

1. The number of callouts for false fire alarms in student halls of residence in your area (i.e., incidents where no fire was present or no firefighting action was required)

Please provide the data month by month for the past three calendar years (from January 2022 to the most recent month available in 2025).

2. If available, please include:

• The total number of false alarm callouts in that period (for context); and

• The definition or incident codes used for “student halls of residence” or “purpose-built student accommodation” within your incident recording system.

Our Response:

Please see our response below to your Freedom of Information Request.

1. The number of callouts for false fire alarms in student halls of residence in your area (i.e., incidents where no fire was present or no firefighting action was required)

Please provide the data month by month for the past three calendar years (from January 2022 to the most recent month available in 2025).

The information has been taken from the Incident Recording System where the incident was recorded as a False Alarm with a property type of Building>>Other Residential>>Student Hall of Residence.

2. If available, please include:

• The total number of false alarm callouts in that period (for context); and

• The definition or incident codes used for “student halls of residence” or “purpose-built student accommodation” within your incident recording system.

The definition of Student Hall of Residence in the Incident Recording System is as follows:

Outcome: Information Provided

FOI responded to within timescales: YES

Further action: NO