BRE Global has partnered with the Association of British Insurers (ABI), British Approvals for Fire Equipment (BAFE), the CBRE Group, CS Todd & Associates Ltd, the Fire Industry Association (FIA), Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), to undertake research into the causes and frequency of false alarms from fire alarm systems in buildings. It is expected to lead to the development of proposed solutions to prevent their recurrence.
Firefighters throughout the UK are frequently called to false alarms from fire detection and suppression systems, usually installed in commercial premises and often monitored remotely. They cost businesses and fire and rescue services an estimated £1 billion a year, with each false alarm costing businesses around £2,900, and fire and rescue service around £300.
The project aims to collate comprehensive data on unwanted false alarm incidents, identify and classify the common causes of unwanted false alarms and improve engagement by the fire and rescue services, the fire industry and businesses on unwanted false alarms. It is also aimed at reducing the volume of unwanted false alarms and provide intelligence to help reduce the volume of unwanted false alarms across Scotland.
