NEARLY a third of all call outs to the Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service last year were false alarms, it has been revealed, writes Daniel Clark.

The service attended nearly 20,000 incidents in the two counties between April 2017 and March 2018.

A breakdown of call outs revealed in the fire service’s annual performance report showed that there were 19,799 incidents that they attended. Of which, 4,143 were fires, 9,762 were special service incidents like road traffic collisions or medical emergencies, and 5,894 were false alarms.

The breakdown is: Fires — 4,143. Primary fires — 2,296 — generally larger more complex incidents, those with casualties or fatalities or those occurring in dwellings. Chimney fires — 367 — fires restricted to the confines of the chimney. Secondary fires — 1,480 — minor fires, no casualties.

Special service — 9,762. Road traffic collisions — 1,062 — attended by DSFRS that are not fires. Medical emergencies — 4,495 — includes co-responder incidents for which DSFRS provide first response on behalf of the South West Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).

Other incidents — 4,205 — includes flooding, rescue from height, animal rescue.

False alarms — 5,894

Automatic fire alarms — 4,143 — calls initiated by fire alarm or firefighting equipment operating.

False alarm with good intent — 1,613 — calls made in the belief that the service would attend an emergency incident.

Malicious false alarm — 138 — calls made with the intention of getting the service to respond to a non-existent incident.

The report, which went before the Audit and Performance Review Committee of the fire service on Friday morning outlines that four of the eight corporate measures are showing positive performance, three are showing negative performance and one requiring monitoring.

Measure 1: Fire-related deaths where people live

The target was missed due to a fire-related death in Torquay where a 71-year-old man, living alone in a single occupancy household, died after an accidental fire started in the living room where a candle ignited waste/recycling materials.

The service attended the incident as a late fire call, meaning the fire was already out when the call was received. There was a smoke alarm present on the same floor as the fire, the alarm operated but did not raise the alarm. This is likely due to the victim being asleep at the time of the incident. The fire did not spread beyond the room of origin.

Measure 2: Injuries at fires where people live

The target requires monitoring as although the number of injuries decreased from 23 to 17 in quarter four, the figures are up 25 per cent year-on-year from 2016/17. Fire-related injuries where people live have seen a reduction compared to previous quarter however the annual figure has increased by 24 per cent to 76 from 61 in 2016/17.

Measure 3: Fires where people live

Target missed as figures are have risen five per cent year-on-year from 1,006 to 1,059. But although the number of fires has increased compared to previous year, the data is within normal levels of variation for the reporting quarter.

Measure 4: Fire-related deaths where people work, visit and in vehicles

Target hit as there was no fire-related deaths where people work and visit or in vehicles in quarter four.

Measure 5: Injuries at fires where people work, visit and in vehicles

Target missed due to a quarter on quarter increase and year to date increase in injuries in all elements. Year-on-year figures have more than doubled, from 15 in 2016 to 32 in 2017, with there being seven in quarter four.

Measure 6: Fires where people work, visit and in vehicles

Target hit with a 3.3 per cent reduction in quarter four and an eight per cent year-on-year reduction, with the rolling five year trend shows an improvement in performance in totals and accidental fires.

Measure 7: Emergency response standards for attendance at fires where people live

Target hit as positive performance with a one per cent year-on-year improvement in standards

Measure 8: Emergency response standards for road traffic collisions

Target hit as positive performance with improvements in achievement of the response standard are shown in all elements, with a 3.1 per cent year-on-year improvement.