Home Office releases detailed fire and rescue incident statistics for England

by Breaking NewsResearch

Fire and rescue statistics England: September 2024 data

The Home Office’s fire and rescue incident statistics for England, covering the year ending September 2024, revealed a total of 598,504 incidents attended by fire and rescue services (FRSs).

This figure marks a 1.0% increase compared to the previous year’s total of 592,293 incidents.

Over the past decade, incidents have increased by 18%, rising from 506,235 in 2014.

However, incidents peaked in the year ending September 2022, with approximately 621,000 recorded, largely due to the hot, dry summer that year.

The breakdown of incidents for 2024 shows that fires accounted for 22% of the total, while fire false alarms made up 42%, and non-fire incidents represented 35%.

Over the last decade, the share of non-fire incidents has increased, while fire-related incidents have declined.

Decline in fire incidents and fatalities

Fire incidents fell to 133,072 in 2024, a 7.4% decrease compared to 143,751 in 2023.

This represents the lowest figure since data collection began.

Over the past decade, fire incidents have decreased by 14%, with the number of primary fires falling from 70,937 in 2014 to 61,103 in 2024, a 14% decline.

Fire-related fatalities decreased by 4.7% in 2024, with 263 fatalities recorded compared to 276 in 2023.

Of these, 204 fatalities occurred in dwelling fires, a slight decline of 1.0% from the previous year.

Fatalities in high-rise flats or maisonettes (10 or more storeys) remained consistent, with two fatal fires and two fatalities recorded in both 2023 and 2024.

Non-fatal casualties increased slightly to 6,300 in 2024, up from 6,231 in 2023.

Of these, 2,758 required hospital treatment, a 1.6% rise compared to the previous year.

Rise in non-fire incidents and false alarms

Non-fire incidents reached 211,391 in 2024, reflecting a 4.8% increase from the 201,769 recorded in 2023.

This category has grown significantly over the past decade, with a 60% increase compared to 132,078 incidents in 2014.

Collaborating incidents, which include assisting other agencies, accounted for 34% of non-fire incidents, rising 11% to 71,681 in 2024.

Road traffic collisions (RTCs) also increased slightly by 1.4%, reaching 31,946 incidents.

Flooding incidents, however, fell by 3.7% to 17,978, while medical incidents decreased by 9.7% to 14,592.

False alarms, the largest category of incidents, totalled 254,041 in 2024, up 2.9% from 246,773 in 2023.

The majority of these (183,115) were attributed to apparatus, marking a 4.9% increase compared to the previous year.

Good-intent false alarms decreased slightly by 1.3%, while malicious false alarms fell by 7.4%.

Response times and regional comparisons

The average response time to primary fires in England was 9 minutes and 4 seconds, a 4-second increase compared to 2023.

Dwelling fires had an average response time of 8 minutes and 5 seconds, up by 6 seconds from the previous year.

In contrast, secondary fire response times improved, with a 7-second reduction to an average of 9 minutes and 16 seconds.

Comparisons across Great Britain for the year ending March 2024 showed that England accounted for approximately 600,000 of the 719,000 incidents attended in total.

Scotland and Wales recorded 80,000 and 38,000 incidents, respectively.

England had the lowest rate of incidents per million people (10,408), compared to 14,661 in Scotland and 12,028 in Wales.

Primary fires across the three nations totalled 75,000, with England responsible for 62,000 of these.

Fire-related fatalities in England accounted for 249 of the 309 fatalities across Great Britain, and England also had the highest number of non-fatal casualties at 6,347.

CheckFire comments on fire alarm maintenance after rise in false activations

Rise in false fire alarms and the need for maintenance

In response to the recently published fire and rescue incident statistics from the UK government, Bruce Robins, director at CheckFire, has highlighted the growing issue of false fire alarms caused by apparatus.

The data shows fire and rescue services (FRSs) in England attended 254,041 false fire alarms in the year ending September 2024.

This represents a 2.9% increase from the previous year and marks the highest total recorded since 2011.

Of these false alarms, 183,115 were attributed to apparatus, an increase of 4.9% compared to 2023 and a 25% rise over the last decade.

Diverting resources from emergencies

Bruce Robins stated: “Faulty or poorly maintained fire alarms not only disrupt emergency services but also divert vital resources away from genuine emergencies, where every second counts.”

False fire alarms caused by apparatus accounted for the largest proportion of false alarm incidents attended by FRSs.

Robins emphasised that preventable false activations can delay response times to critical emergencies.

He urged both the public and businesses to prioritise proper installation and routine maintenance of fire alarm systems.

Encouraging investment in reliable systems

Robins also pointed to the importance of investing in high-quality fire alarm systems and maintaining them regularly to avoid false activations.

He said: “Effective fire safety begins with attentiveness, from regular alarm testing and maintenance to ensuring the right fire safety measures are in place, such as clear signage and appropriate fire extinguishers.”

While the statistics highlighted a 7.4% reduction in fire incidents compared to the previous year, Robins stressed that this progress should not be undermined by preventable false alarms.

Reliable systems and proper maintenance are key to reducing strain on emergency services and ensuring public safety.

Supporting fire and rescue services through prevention

The rise in false fire alarms underscores the critical role of prevention in supporting the work of fire and rescue services.

Robins called on businesses and households to reduce preventable disruptions by adhering to maintenance schedules and ensuring systems are compliant with regulations.

“Doing so not only supports fire and rescue services but also enhances safety for everyone,” he said.

Fire and rescue statistics England: September 2024 data: Summary

The Home Office’s fire and rescue statistics for England highlight a mixed picture for the year ending September 2024.

Incidents attended increased by 1.0%, driven by a rise in non-fire incidents and false alarms.

Fire-related incidents continued to decline, reaching their lowest recorded level, while fire-related fatalities decreased to 263.

Non-fire incidents grew substantially, particularly collaborating incidents, which saw an 11% increase.

False alarms due to apparatus also continued their upward trend.

Response times to primary fires and dwelling fires increased slightly, in line with long-term trends.

The statistics, sourced from the Incident Recording System, provide a comprehensive view of fire and rescue activity in England and underscore changing patterns over the past decade.

Detailed data tables and further information are available on the Home Office’s website.

Bruce Robins, director at CheckFire, has urged businesses and households to take action following the UK government’s fire and rescue incident statistics.

The data shows a 2.9% rise in false fire alarms attended by FRSs in England, driven by a 4.9% increase in apparatus-related alarms.

Cleveland Fire Brigade’s Chief Fire Officer Retires

by PeoplePeople

Cleveland Fire Brigade recently said goodbye to its longstanding Chief Fire Officer, Ian Hayton, after 49 years of dedicated service.

Since joining the Brigade in 1975, when it was known as Cleveland County Fire Brigade, Ian has served his entire career in Cleveland where he has been committed to building safer and stronger communities. Over the years Ian brought his expertise to strategic and operational Incident Command, risk management, fire safety, HR, health & safety, performance management, and much more.

Ian, who has served as Chief Fire Officer since 2009, reflected on his career, saying: “It has been an absolute honour and privilege to serve the people and communities of Cleveland Fire Brigade for the past 49 years. The sense of pride I have felt throughout this journey is immense. The Brigade is an exceptional and professional organisation, with a dedicated team committed to safeguarding the people of Teesside. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me, both personally and professionally throughout my career.”

After a special ceremony which included a personalised cake, banners and bunting, the Chair of Cleveland Fire Authority, Councillor David Coupe said: “On behalf of the Fire Authority I would like to wish Ian a long and healthy retirement and thank him for the immeasurable value he has given to our communities throughout his service with the Brigade. It has been a pleasure working alongside Ian and his knowledge, passion and professionalism has always been at the heart of everything he does.”   

Alongside his role as CFO, Ian is a Graduate member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and was also the UK National Fire Chief’s Council Chair for the Health and Wellbeing Committee, supporting services, firefighters, and service personnel across the nation in the promotion, prevention, support, and treatment of physical and mental health.

On behalf of everyone at Cleveland Fire Brigade, we would like to say a huge thank you to Ian for his decades of dedicated service to the Brigade. Ian’s commitment has made an enormous difference to not only the Brigade but the communities we proudly serve and his leadership and presence will be deeply missed by all of us.

Peter Rickard has been appointed the new Chief Fire Officer and will continue to guide the Brigade on its journey to providing the best prevention, protection, and emergency response for the communities of Cleveland Fire Brigade.

English firefighting apprentices share their experience for National Apprenticeship Week

by Featured NewsTraining

To coincide with the 16th annual National Apprenticeship Week (6-12 February), apprenticeships experts SFJ Awards spoke to firefighting apprentices across the country to find out more about their experiences of starting a career in fire and rescue.

Ellice Schnable (ES), Jolanta Paledzka (JP) and Chloé Cassar (CC) of London Fire Brigade, Jordan Ahmed (JA) of Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, Charlie Thomas (CT) and Lauren Bradshaw (LB) of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, and Helen Pettersson (HP) of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service give their views.

How did you start your apprenticeship?

CC: My dad’s business had a fire that completely destroyed everything, it was witnessing the calmness of the firefighters at the incident that made me want to do what they do. I turned a really tragic event into a part of my story to my ‘why’ and it was the best thing I’ve ever done.

LB: Prior to starting my apprenticeship I worked as an animal rescue officer for the RSPCA helping to rescue sick and injured animals. I really enjoyed the ‘hands on’ side of the job and having worked alongside the fire service on some rescues and seeing what they did, I started to look into careers within the fire service. I saw on social media that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service were recruiting for community safety and firefighter apprentices. This really appealed to me as it would give me the opportunity to work within different areas of the service before proceeding onto the firefighter role which would give me a better insight to the organisation overall.

What has been the best part of your apprenticeship journey?

ES: The best part throughout the apprenticeship is making some really close friends with my squad which I had while at training school. Nearly 2 years down the line we all keep contact even though we are all at different stations.

HP: The support and encouragement of my watch, my station managers and the college – they were with me every step of the way and I couldn’t have done it without them.

LB: The best part for me has been getting out in the community and educating people to be safer in their homes. The prevention work that we do is so important as this contributes towards allowing people to live their lives safely. I also get to meet many different people from all walks of life which is great.

CC: Learning so much and enjoying every part of it! Not being bored by any element and eager to learn more. I made the best friends whilst in training and made some amazing memories that I won’t forget.

Apprentices in England must pass an End-Point Assessment (EPA) before formally completing their apprenticeship journey. The EPA tests the knowledge, skills and behaviours that an apprentice has gained during their training. How did you prepare for your EPA and what was your experience of it?  

HP: In preparation I completed a mock assessment, which was great for asking any questions that I had prior to the assessment. The assessment itself was a question/answer style format on the topics I had been working on throughout the apprenticeship. The assessor was very friendly and reassuring and helped me to feel relaxed so that my exam nerves didn’t get in the way of my exam performance.

JA: I spent lots of time with my head in books and taking time to work on the practical elements of the assessment too. Repetition works well for me, so repeating the information in my head and working on the practical skills required helped to make sure I learnt it and that it stayed with me.

JP: I’ve been working with my crew in the drill yard for the practical part of the assessment. Listening to feedback from the crew and paying attention to detail was essential. For the written and verbal part of the assessment I’ve been using my own notes and having one-to-one conversations with colleagues to practice my answers.

What tips do you have for those interested in embarking on an apprenticeship in fire and rescue?

ES: Always stay focused, and put 100% in, whether it be studying or practicing nonstop to achieve. Also, just have fun and enjoy every minute of it!

CT: Don’t give up! Firefighter apprenticeships are competitive, and fire and rescue services receive a lot of applications every year. Apprenticeships are for people from any background and at any age, so don’t let stereotypes hold you back. Take time to write your application and use examples from a range of scenarios and experiences, as bringing these to the table will help you and your team if successful. One thing is for sure, if you put the effort in and go the extra mile, it will not go unnoticed and you will have a very respectable and rewarding career to look forward to, with the apprenticeship giving the perfect grounding for just that.

LB: Go for it! I was a little sceptical about applying at the start as I was under the impression that apprenticeships were for people coming out of school. I was 36 years old when I applied, and it has turned out to be the best decision I’ve made. My advice to you would be don’t let your age be a barrier for something you want to do, age is just a number.

SFJ Awards is the End-Point Assessment Organisation of choice for the protective services, with industry leading-expertise in fire and rescue. Follow SFJ Awards on Twitter and LinkedIn for more live insights into the apprenticeships that we support during National Apprenticeship Week 2023 #NAW2023.

‘Fire and rescue service is far weaker than it should be’ says FBU

by Breaking News

The UK Fire Brigades Union has raised community awareness that the Fire and Rescue service is weaker than it should be. The proclamation came on bonfire night after new statistics revealed that fire and rescue services slashed.

As bonfire night is traditionally one of fire and rescue services’ busiest nights of the year with a heightened fire risk, new statistics collated by the Fire Brigades Union reveal further real-terms cuts to central funding for fire and rescue services in England.

Funding for 2022-2023 has been boosted by just 1% on last year (2021-22). Inflation is currently running at around 10%. Funding stands at £882m compared to £1,240m in 2013-14 – meaning there has been a huge cut of 29%, or over 40% in real terms.

There have also been significant cuts across parts of the rest of the UK. Scotland’s funding is up just £3m since 2013 and Northern Ireland’s is down by £1m since 2012. These will be both significant real-terms cuts.

Matt Wrack, Fire Brigades Union general secretary, said: Communities should know that their fire and rescue service is far weaker than it should be. Bonfire night is a massive stress and strain on fire and rescue services and firefighters, and we are hugely concerned as to how a significantly underresourced fire and rescue service will cope.

“Firefighters are facing a cash-starved service every night of the year: their own wages have been cut by £4,000 since 2009 and this year they received a measly 5% pay offer. We need a properly funded fire service that includes decent resources and fair pay for firefighters, and that reflects the extraordinary job they do and their contribution over the pandemic.

Oxfordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and West Sussex brigades are in particular danger of cuts. These councils agreed to reduce central funding in order to keep more local revenue – local revenue which would have been anticipated but then disappeared in recent years due to the pandemic.

NFCC to host CPD events for Fire and Rescue Service

by Featured NewsTraining

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) is to host a programme of new continuing personal development (CPD) events kicking off with an event held at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service on 29 September 2022.

Led by NFCC’s End Point Assessment Partnership team, the newly-established event is for fire and rescue services in England who have existing apprentices and are either looking for an End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) or are looking to release members of staff to assist the assessments as an Independent End Point Assessor (IEPA).  

The first event will be held at Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Training and Development Centre on Hitchin Road in Stevenage between 9am and 5pm. Guest speaker Amanda Kirby will join the event to discuss neurodiversity in the workplace and assessment arena.  

Other areas that the event will cover include safeguarding, prevent, new assessment documentation, individualised feedback and Ofqual awareness.  

To book a place, contact Jimmy Clitheroe, NFCC End Point Assessment Relationship Manager, at Jimmy.Clitheroe@nationalfirechiefs.org.uk.  

These events will occur every six months, focusing on various elements of the assessment process.  

Survitec selected as preferred supplier by UK public sector

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

The Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO) – the UK’s largest public sector purchasing consortium, has granted preferred supplier status to Survitec for its survival technology.

UK-headquartered Survitec, supplier of Survival Technology to the global maritime, defence, and government, energy and aerospace and maritime sectors, has been placed on the YPO’s Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for the provision of public sector emergency response and rescue equipment.

Ordering a YPO-approved product through the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) avoids a lengthy tendering process, allowing procurement officials to streamline supply and benefit from cost and administrative efficiencies.

More than 100 different products from the Survitec portfolio have been approved for use by the country’s ambulance, fire, police, search and rescue, and environmental services teams.

The Survival Technology scope of supply includes protective clothing and footwear, lifejackets, liferafts and new innovative dry suits, inflatable lifeboats and fast rescue craft, ropes and safety harnesses and leading-edge protection, fire hoses and pumps, lighting systems alongside flares, pop-up shelters, rescue tools and cutting equipment.

Martin Whittaker, CEO of Survitec’s Aerospace & Defence business, said: “This is a significant development for Survitec. After a rigorous selection process, we are delighted YPO has approved our Survival Technology for use across the UK’s public sector services. We are immensely proud as a UK-based manufacturer we are able to support the country’s first responders using the national supply chain.”

He explained: “It is completely different from a traditional framework agreement in that the DPS is an electronic procurement process. It provides customers with an audit trail and simplifies contract management.”

Mandy Easter, Survitec’s UK Business Development Manager, said: “Communication from our emergency service customers reveal they have been waiting for the DPS to come through so they can commence placing orders for Survival Technology through the system.”

“We underwent a rigorous process to achieve approval as a DPS supplier. This process provides an independent endorsement of the quality of our products and services for purchasers.”

Government’s fire and rescue whitepaper an ‘attack on pay and conditions’

by Featured News

The Fire Brigades Union has formally responded to the government’s fire and rescue white paper, describing it as a coordinated attack on pay and conditions.

In its consultation response submission the union criticised a range of elements to what it termed “a coordinated attack on firefighters’ pay and conditions and the fire and rescue service, in the middle of a cost of living crisis”.

It said these elements include an attack on firefighters’ right to have a say on their pay and conditions, including many conditions relating to safety and proposals that could result in industrial action – a last resort to protect the fire service and firefighters’ pay and conditions – being weakened or undermined.   

The FBU claimed that the white paper’s attacks on the fire and rescue service more broadly comes in the form of a lack of any direct plans or resources to improve the service the public receives, together with plans to boost chief fire officer powers, including over areas that have a direct effect on the service the public receives such as reducing the number of firefighters, how quickly fires are responded to, reducing night cover and shift systems.

Next week firefighters are set to visit parliament in an attempt to persuade MPs to stop the government removing their voice, and to protect their pay and conditions, with many more set to follow during the course of this campaign.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “It is absolutely scandalous that the government has launched this coordinated attack on the pay and conditions of hard-working firefighters, and on the fire and rescue service itself. Apparently it is not enough that firefighters, like everyone else, are going through a cost of living crisis ultimately of the government’s making. Instead, the government thinks that now is the right moment to try and strip them of hard-won rights that protect their pay and conditions. We have firefighters struggling to pay bills and pay the mortgage. These changes would only make things worse for them.”

“Firefighters go to work to save lives. They risk their health, safety and sometimes their own lives in doing so. The very least they deserve is to be free from coordinated attacks on their livelihoods and safety, and to be paid properly and treated fairly.

“When it comes to the fire and rescue service itself we are clear. Chief fire officers cannot be trusted to get it right on their own, especially on vital matters such as how quickly we respond to fires and the number of firefighters in each service. Debacles such as chief fire officers standing by whilst deep cuts were made to their services, and wasting millions of pounds of public money on equipment that didn’t work or wasn’t suitable, show that to be the case. More power for them over matters like the number of firefighters, attendance times or night cover will make the public’s fire and rescue service worse – the evidence on that is absolutely clear.”

Ziegler to field test Z6 Hybrid at Frankfurt Airport

by Featured NewsProductsVehicles

International supplier of vehicles for firefighting, civil protection and the police, ZIEGLER, is set to put its new aircraft firefighting vehicle Z6 Hybrid through its paces with a prototype field test of the vehicle at Frankfurt Airport FRAPORT from 2023.

ZIEGLER has more than 50 years of experience in the production of aircraft firefighting and rescue vehicles and has since now delivered more than 300 Z-Class of different types to national and international airports. Most recently, ZIEGLER introduced the new Z-Class in 2020 as part of the Innovation Rollout.

The new Z6 Hybrid can be driven in three different ways: Exclusively with electric motor, conventionally
with combustion engine (diesel) or with Hybrid Drive Technology. In the latter, the electric motor and
combustion engine work hand in hand in an intelligent network, meaning the Z6 Hybrid is usually powered purely electrically at airports. Depending on the driving profile, a corresponding range even allows over 80% of the journeys to be made electrically.

For situations where every second counts, the Z6 Hybrid’s electric motor and combustion engine accelerate the 39 ton vehicle, to its top speed with values are on a par with an 8×8 chassis with diesel drive.

If the battery is empty and has has to be charged, the full drive power of the diesel engine of a conventional Z6 is available. In contrast to the market, ZIEGLER does not follow the downsizing trend here and thus ensures full and long-lasting reliability for the operation and so if the power of the electric motor is unavailable, all normative requirements are still met.

ZIEGLER has solved the challenge of developing the world’s best alternative drive concept for aircraft firefighting and rescue vehicles. It combines aspects of sustainability, is faster than any comparable product and ensures the usual reliable operation. Thanks to its modularity, the hybrid concept can also be extended to other types of the Z-Class.

The Frankfurt Airport field test will among other things involve testing the operational suitability of the electric drive train and the recording of a wide range of measurement data to optimize the operating concept.

Dräger reaffirms commitment to Aberdeen operations

by Projects
Dräger (or Draeger) Marine and Offshore, a division of The Dräger Group, has confirmed a new phase of investment in its Aberdeen office.

The latest phase of investment will focus on significantly expanding the company’s rental fleet of offshore safety equipment, which includes its fire and rescue apparatus. The company’s safety products are employed by many operators in the North Sea, and its Aberdeen base is home to the UK’s largest direct to customer rental fleet of Dräger equipment with over 1600 items.

The company has also announced the appointment of David Donaldson to head up its Marine and Offshore UK office, based in Aberdeen. Twenty five staff are based at the Aberdeen office, which in addition to its rental fleet, is also home to an international offshore safety training academy and state of the art service workshop. Dräger is the only safety manufacturer with a base in Aberdeen, and the firm also has premises at Grangemouth.

Donaldson, who brings to the company over 30 years’ experience working in the offshore, oil and gas industries, said: “Dräger has had a presence in Aberdeen for almost ten years, and the company has weathered many challenges through this time. The ongoing investment in Aberdeen reaffirms our commitment to the local business community, as well as our staff, who have been working hard to maintain our customers’ critical safety operations throughout lockdown.”

As well as continuing to service offshore equipment such as rigs throughout lockdown, Dräger staff have also adapted safety training courses to be delivered online to enable its customers to continue operationally-critical work during the pandemic.

The adoption of new technology has resulted in Dräger Marine and Offshore winning a new contract to install the largest wireless gas detection system ever employed by a North Sea operator. Work will commence on the project, which includes the installation of over 120 wireless gas detectors, in September, and will be fully operational by November.

Donaldson concluded: “Despite the great challenges that face the oil and gas industry as a result of Covid-19, there is growing optimism for the future, particularly amongst medium-sized organisations that are large and robust enough to weather the storm, but small and nimble enough to respond to new and emerging opportunities that the current crisis is presenting. We see real opportunity in this area of the market, and look forward to playing our part in supporting future growth here as business starts to resume.”

www.draeger.com/