NEWS | Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service have visited over 17,000 false fire alarms since 2019

The service visits hundreds of false calls every year, with faulty alarms being one of the reasons for these callouts.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has been called out to over 17,000 false fire alarms over the past five years, a new investigation has revealed.

Figures obtained by Personal Injury Claims UKrevealed that the service has visited 17,912 false fire alarms since April 2019, causing a strain both financially and on the use of resources.

The data also shows that the number of annual visits by the service has been between 3300 and 4000 over a five-year period, which is around 10 incidents a day.

From 2019 to 2020, the service attended 3457 false fire alarms, which was the third-highest number of visits over the past five years.

A year later, this number decreased to 3351, and this was caused by restrictions and lockdowns during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the restrictions lifted, the number of false fire alarm callouts increased to 3709 in 2022/23.

Over the past year, the service has experienced another jump in false alarm calls, with the total reaching 3940 in 2023/24.

Some common causes of false fire alarms include:

• Faulty or poorly designed equipment
• Poorly trained users
• Lack of maintenance
• Fumes from cooking or burnt food
• Steam from showers
• Dust from building or repair work
• Aerosols used near sensors.

With the number of these call-outs increasing year on year, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue have explained the impact of false fire alarms.

A statement written on the service’s website said: “By far the largest cause of calls which turn out to be false alarms comes from automatic fire alarm and fire detection systems.

“Perhaps the most serious of the categories – and the one where fast action can have the biggest potential impact – is an alarm caused by faulty equipment. 

“A proper service and maintenance programme is essential to ensure the fire alarm and detection system works when it is needed most.”

Across the country, false fire alarms continue to be the largest proportion of incidents attended at 38%. 

They prove to be costly and disruptive, amounting to around £1 billion a year for the UK, according to a study by BRE Group.

If the trend continues, false alarms could pose an ongoing risk to individuals’ safety as well as affect the efficiency of emergency services.

Personal Injury Claims UK offers free advice and support to anyone impacted by a fire, such as those suffering injuries due to faulty appliances or products.

They operate a 24-hour helpline and claim online form, which you can access on their website.