Headline Targets 4

What is a headline target?

Our headline targets highlight some key priorities for the Brigade; making it easier for people outside the organisation to look at our overall success by focusing on these. The Brigade continually works to a whole range of annual targets that monitor both front line and office based work.

What will you do to reduce the number of calls to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFAs) you attend?

Most commercial buildings and other buildings accessible to the public need to comply with fire safety regulations which include procedures for raising the alarm in the event of a fire. We believe that faulty systems and those that regularly and frequently activate falsely aren’t effective and so we will work primarily with the responsible people for these types of premises to reduce false calls (unwanted fire signals).

In July 2009 we introduced a call filtering process in our 999 Brigade Control so that we don’t need to attend these false alarms when the occupiers can confirm that the system operated unnecessarily. We hope this action, together with our unwanted fire signals strategy, will help to dramatically reduce the number of calls we attend.

What will you do to reduce the number of calls to people shut in lifts that you attend?

We will continue to work with lift owners to advise them of their regulatory obligations and the adverse impact that us attending their lift has on the emergency and prevention services we provide. Our call filter process and charging policy are intended to encourage lift owners to put in place proper maintenance and release arrangements so that we are able to better respond to genuine emergencies. We also try to work with building owners and responsible persons to educate them on their responsibilities.