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# Lichfield and Burntwood firms urged to help cut false fire alarm calls
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/lichfield-and-burntwood-firms-urged-to-help-cut-false-fire-alarm-calls/
- Published: 2011-05-02T09:00:12.000Z
- Updated: 2011-04-29T11:41:03.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Business, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:32

Companies in Lichfield and Burntwood are being urged to play their part to cut the 2,500 false alarms from business premises received each year.

Figures released by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service have shown that 98 per cent of automated alerts did not even require any intervention from firefighters.

And businesses have been warned that false alarms mean reduced levels of emergency cover for communities.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s head of risk reduction, Ian Sloss, said:

> “Each time we make an emergency response to these automatic fire alarms we are sending fire engines when they are not really needed and consequently they are unavailable to attend real emergencies. The consequence of which could be a life being lost because a fire engine was tied up needlessly attending a false alarm when it was also needed to attend a fire or a car crash. In addition it is not just the fire crews, but other road users who are being put at risk every time a fire engine responds on blue lights.  
>  
> “Fire alarm systems are installed in buildings to ensure that if there is a fire in the building the occupants are alerted and they can make their way out of the building safely. Repeated false alarms in buildings endanger the safety of the occupants as they lose confidence in the alarm system and may not respond quickly enough to escape when there is a real fire. Unfortunately all too often alarms operate due to things like cooking fumes triggering a false alarm.  
>  
> “Businesses are responsible for managing the safety of their premises and producing their own fire risk assessments, however these risk assessments should not be based on us providing a full response every time their alarm accidentally activates. They should include procedures to determine if the alarm activation has been caused by a fire or if it’s actually a false alarm.”

Businesses are being encouraged to help in reducing false alarms by improving the management and maintenance of their fire alarm systems.