Essex County Fire & Rescue Service

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FOI / 3878 / 2018 - Fire alarm systems

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I can confirm that Essex County Fire & Rescue Service does hold this information.

 

Please see below the answer to your request.

Initial Request:

1. Does the FRS have any written policy or law on Fire Alarm Systems? If so, can we please have a copy?

2. What do you require us to do before contacting dispatchers to send a fire unit?

3. Do fire alarm systems need to be registered with you?

4. Do you penalize system users in any way if they have excessive unwanted fire signals (false alarms)? If so, what is defined as excessive?

Final Response:

1. Does the FRS have any written policy or law on Fire Alarm Systems? If so, can we please have a copy?

Please see attached policy

2. What do you require us to do before contacting dispatchers to send a fire unit?

Refer to Control

3. Do fire alarm systems need to be registered with you?

Fire alarm systems do not need to be registered with ECFRS.

4. Do you penalize system users in any way if they have excessive unwanted fire signals (false alarms)? If so, what is defined as excessive?

Yes - please see below:

False Alarm Frequency Criteria - Action Triggers Her Majesty's Inspectorate (Fire Services) and the Fire Protection industry state that a fire detection and alarm system should be classified as an 'unsatisfactory installation' if it generates two or more unwanted fire signals in any period of four weeks, or three or more unwanted fire signals in any period of twenty-six weeks. ECFRS are applying a modified version of this guidance:

Any premises with a fire detection and alarm system should be classified as a 'problem premises' and will be the subject of formal action if:

It generates two or more unwanted fire signals in any period of four weeks. This constitutes a single breach of the criteria and the premises will be issued with an Opportunity to Act letter.

Subsequent breaches that occur within 26 weeks of the first breach will be treated as an escalation of the initial breach and the premises will be issued with an Intention to Audit letter.

Subsequent breaches (2 in 4weeks) that occur more than 26 weeks from the last breach will be treated as a new breach and the issue of formal letters or other appropriate action should commence from this time Penalising excessive actuations The premises responsible person (RP) as defined in the FSO must in accordance with their duty detailed in Article 17 ensure that their AFA system is subjected to routine testing and maintenance to ensure that it remains in good working order. AFA systems that generate persistent unwanted fire signals (False alarms) could be construed as not satisfying the efficient state criteria required by the FSO. Failure in this respect may lead to formal action against the RP of a premises.


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