Daytime automatic alarm response ended by GMFRS

The service, which is facing cuts of £10M this year, will no longer automatically respond to automatic alarms during working hours unless the caller or alarm receiving centre confirms that a fire has broken out.

In 2017/18 GMFRS responded to nearly 14,000 false alarms from automatic fire alarms. This is estimated to have cost GMFRS £987,980 and resulted in the equivalent of two fire appliances continuously engaged in responding to these calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

High rise buildings will continue to get a full response, and buildings such as hospitals will also be exempt from these changes.