Rise in number of false fire alarms in Nottinghamshire in the last year

Across England, the number of false fire alarms continues to rise, with the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) urging businesses to maintain their fire alarms to prevent them being triggered in error.

Recent Home Office data shows NFRS attended 5,011 false fire alarms in the year to September – up from 4,790 the year before.

Of the alarms, 3,860 were caused by a fire alarm or firefighting equipment activating in error.

Meanwhile, 1,013 were ‘good intent’, meaning someone triggered a fire alarm, believing there was a real fire threat even though there wasn't.

A further 138 were ‘malicious’ – deliberate false fire alarms, often termed as hoaxes.

Nationally, fire and rescue services attended 254,041 false alarms, the largest figure since the year ending September 2011.

The majority (183,115) were a result of faulty alarms, a five per cent increase from the previous year.

In contrast, the number of ‘good intent’ and ‘malicious’ false alarms both fell.

Steve Wright, FBU general secretary, said: "Firefighters attend automatic fire alarms to prevent fires from spreading in buildings while they are unoccupied."

He added fire services do not knowingly send firefighters to false alarms, as they can only investigate whether there is a fire once they have mobilised.

"Fire crews are trained in detecting and tackling fires in their early stages, protecting properties and lives.

"Businesses must maintain their alarms to prevent them from being accidentally triggered.

"Fire services must be provided with the resources needed to respond to alarms, so that fires can be tackled before they become life threatening."

NFRS attended 10,754 fire and non-fire incidents last year, an increase from 10,315 the year before.

Of the incidents last year, 2,777 were fire incidents (26 per cent).