False Alarm Good Intent Reduction Strategies

[Dragonmaster]

I'm not sure that this belongs in this part of the forum, but I'm looking for any current ideas or original thoughts on reduction strategies for 'False Alarm Good Intent' calls.

This is a particularly difficult area, as we, like all Brigades, don't want to discourage people from making fire calls they believe are genuine, and so increase the risk to both them and potentially our firefighters.

I've got as far as public education/information campaigns on stuff like garden rubbish etc, and reporting commercial waste burning to local Environmental Health where this is in contravention of licenses etc.

I'm now fairly bereft of any other ideas and looking for that one golden nugget, so come on folks - any suggestions?

[Dinnertime Dave]

No golden nuggets I’m afraid. People making genuine calls don’t appear to be as problematic as unwanted fire signals from poorly maintained systems.

[Paul2886]

What is your brigades response to receiving a 999 call for instance to a residential home where no fire has been confirmed but just a call to the alarm sounding both during the day and at night

[wee brian]

you could set up one of those phone robot things;

If you are calling about a smokey bar be que - press 1
If you are calling because your neighbour burns rubbish when your washing is out  - press 2
If you are calling because theres a lot of "smoke" coming out of some air conditioning plant - press 3
If you are calling because your house is on fire and you are in fear of your life - press 4

etc.

[Dinnertime Dave]

At present from 7am - 7pm where there is no confirmed fire then one pump. From 7pm to 7am or when a fire is conformed then full attendance is mobilised.

However, from April 08 we are to adopt CFOA strategy. Including when the time is right call challenging.

[Dragonmaster]

What is your brigades response to receiving a 999 call for instance to a residential home where no fire has been confirmed but just a call to the alarm sounding both during the day and at night.

Currently if we receive a 999 call from premises such as this, we respond normally according to our IRMP. We would then decide whether it was an FADA or FAGI and deal with the outcome in the cold light of day. We continue to press for call delay and investigation where appropriate, but generally, if someone states they thought it was a fire (without an investigation, it's 50/50 as to which it coded as (I always try for the FAGI as it doesn't get reported to CLG - yet!).

Lies, damn lies and CLG statistics!

[kurnal]

How much of a problem is this- if you analyse the good intent calls are there any patterns or dominant call types that you could target? I would also look at the number of calls from the public that did turn out to be fires and work out the potential loss that could arise if you had reduced attendance thinking it was a false alarm.
Percentage of bad calls from good x potential cost of getting it wrong would be a good statistic.

[nearlythere]

you could set up one of those phone robot things;

If you are calling about a smokey bar be que - press 1
If you are calling because your neighbour burns rubbish when your washing is out  - press 2
If you are calling because theres a lot of "smoke" coming out of some air conditioning plant - press 3
If you are calling because your house is on fire and you are in fear of your life - press 4

etc.

"If you are calling to check progress on a previous call made to us regarding your incident - press 5"

"We are experiencing a lot of incoming emergency calls at present so please do not hang up. We value your call and the operator will speak to you as soon as possible.
In the meantime if you wish to avail of our new Pissa Delivered Straight to your Door service please press 1 and you can choose from our full range of delicious toppings"

[Steven N]

FAGI are not the big problem, however the service i'm with have call challenge to reduce hoax & afa's, we exempt certain premises from this & once an attendance is made, a minimum of 9 F/f's attend ( normally 2 appliances).

[Big T]

Resi care homes could be visited by local crews to demonstrate fire safety, bedtime routines, what to do if you smoke, What the fire alarm is for, what to do if you set the fire alarm off and didn't mean to. etc etc

That should get the old birds to stop setting the alarm off accidentally and the auto dialler kindly giving your boys a call.....