Author Topic: Call challenging  (Read 4976 times)

Offline lingmoor

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 264
Call challenging
« on: August 12, 2014, 03:38:23 PM »
Does anyone know how many F&R Services call challenge when notified of alarms operating at a hospital?

Cheers

Edit: I have a feeling this may be in the wrong section

Offline AnthonyB

  • Firenet Extinguisher Expert
  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2487
    • http://www.firewizard.co.uk
Re: Call challenging
« Reply #1 on: August 12, 2014, 10:09:09 PM »
Hi,

May be worth asking in the NAHFO - National Association of Healthcare Fire Officers & Fire Safety Managers group on LinkedIn
Anthony Buck
Owner & Fire Safety Consultant at Fire Wizard


Extinguisher/Fire History Enthusiast

Fire Extinguisher Facebook Group:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=65...415&ref=ts
http://www.youtube.com/user/contactacb
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/anthony-buck-36

Offline Mr. P

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 685
Re: Call challenging
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2014, 08:16:39 AM »
Within the fire policy for the premises the RP should identify if or not, that the fire call challenge is to be made. I.E. when the alarm activates, a challenge is made by nominated person(s) to identify - is there actually a fire or not - rather than just automatically call 999. Call challenging [reduces] the number  of false alarms attended by the FRS.

Offline Messy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 343
Re: Call challenging
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2014, 08:20:42 PM »
A certain metropolitan Fire Brigade (& Mr Todd's favourite I understand!) challenged a call from a caller with an unusual voice. He was acting very oddly and panicky reporting a fire in a kitchen. The control officer struggled to make sense of the caller. When the address was finally understood, it did not match the trace address.

The caller was robustly challenged that call was being made from a large hospital 3 miles away from where he claimed he was. The caller became quite agitated and insisted there was a fire. The control operator repeatedly challenged the authenticity of this call. No attendance was made.

A second call from a passing member of the public who saw smoke issuing from the building eventually got the red trucks moving to the address given by the caller. The address turned out to be a 'Group Home' for persons recovering from metal illness. The telephone was routed through the local NHS hospital despite that being several miles away.

The management NHS Trust concerned would not complain as not to 'upset the relationship' with the fire brigade concerned. So no investigation was carried out.

To be fair, this was a few years ago, so I hope these awful money grabbing policies have been changed. I doubt it though :(