Euralarm broadens scope of False Alarm study

False alarms from fire detection and fire alarm systems is a topic that Euralarm's Technical Group False Alarm is working on since 2012 and that resulted in the last step of publishing a book covering a 3-year study of the risk-based understanding of the topic in various European countries.

Based on the carefully examined facts and statistics the study also contains recommendations and strategies for false alarm reduction. One of the recommendations was to integrate the topic of false alarms into fire protection and fire alarm strategies as well as to handle false alarms as an active part of the management of a site. However, the false alarm topic continues to accompany the fire safety industry. Although much has been achieved the statistics show that there is a sizable potential for continuing improvement. Therefore, the Fire Section of Euralarm agreed to continue its study.

Further, the TG has been asked to look into how the reduction of false alarms can be further progressed. One of these aspects will be the proposal of European standardised terms and the discussion about the acceptance level of false alarms. "We have also seen that there are positive effects of false alarms", according to Sebastian Festag, chairman of the TG False Alarms. "Also the number of real identified fires is increasing with the number of installations but the proportion between the consequences of real and false alarms is not adequate."