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True Multi-Sensors Could Be The Solution To Scottish Fire And Rescue “Call Challenge” Approach
Technology To Tackle Changes In Fire Brigade Responses To Automatic Alarms
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have announced that, from July 1st 2023, they will no longer attend all alarm signals generated from an automatic fire alarm system. Instead, the Call Challenge approach will be invoked with an aim to reduce the number of false alarms their crews attend.
In a bid to reduce false alarm call outs, fire services have successfully
trialled and implemented similar approaches
across England, and, following a rigorous public and private sector consultation, the SFRS have decided to implement a “Call Challenge” approach when responding to automatic fire alarm signals.
Fire and rescue service teams across the UK are responsible for providing immediate assistance and support to those in need, but in recent years there has been an ever-increasing number of false alarms occurring adding to an already stretched fire service.
In Scotland alone, the SFRS crews are called to an average of 28,000 false alarms each year and investigating each incident can involve several firefighters and up to two fire appliances as part of the response. To put this into context, this equates to 252,000 firefighters needlessly being called to unwanted fire alarm signals each year, when their time could be better spent tackling real fires, training or carrying out community safety work.
The Call Challenge process is invoked whenever a single smoke detector becomes active and generates a fire signal, received either directly by the SFRS control room, or via an Alarm Receiving Company (ARC). Duty holders on site are immediately contacted and asked a series of questions to determine the nature and severity of an incident to determine a positive visual confirmation of fire. This ensures that it is a genuine emergency and requires an immediate response from a fire appliance and its crew.
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