Automatic Fire Alarm Consultation 2024 – Public Q&A

Royal Berkshire Fire Authority is asking people to consider how their fire and rescue service responds to Automatic Fire Alarms as part of a public consultation. The consultation will run from Monday, 4 March to Monday, 13 May 2024.   

The consultation, which will run for 10 weeks, is asking for people’s views on how their fire and rescue service responds to Automatic Fire Alarms in buildings such as shops, offices, leisure centres, colleges, sports grounds, libraries, schools and health centres.  

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service will continue to send fire engines to automatic fire alarm notifications at higher risk buildings, where anyone sleeps, such as hotels, hospitals, care homes, houses, and flats.  

Most importantly, the Service will continue to maintain an emergency response to 999 calls, confirmed fires and to automatic fire alarm notifications from residential homes.  

RBFRS needs to change the way it responds to automatic fire alarm notifications to ensure communities and firefighters are kept safe. This is because 99% of the automatic fire alarm calls are false alarms. Attending these types of incidents causes significant disruption to the delivery of essential services and training. 

The Fire Authority is encouraging as many people as possible to have their say on the three options detailed within the Automatic Fire Alarm Consultation Document. 

The Service will also be holding online Q&A sessions as part of the consultation, which will take place on:  

• 11 April 2024 between 12pm-1pm; or 
• 11 April 2024 between 7pm and 8pm.  

Residents’ can register in advance on the RBFRS website.