News

From 29th October 2024, the London Fire Brigade (LFB) will implement a significant change in how it responds to automatic fire alarms (AFAs) in commercial buildings. This policy shift is aimed at reducing the resources allocated to false alarms, ensuring that LFB can focus on genuine emergencies.

Key policy changes

Starting from 29th October 2024, LFB will no longer attend automatic fire alarms in most non-residential buildings during the daytime hours of 7:00 am to 8:30pm seven days per week, unless a fire is also confirmed through a 999 call.

This change will impact office buildings, industrial estates, and other commercial premises. The decision follows a period where AFAs accounted for 40% of LFB's calls, with less than 1% resulting in actual fires.

By reducing attendance at false alarms, LFB aims to redirect resources to more critical areas, such as community fire protection and genuine emergency response.

What buildings will be affected by the new policy?

The new policy applies to most non-residential premises. However, certain property types will be exempt, meaning LFB will continue to respond to AFAs without requiring confirmation of a fire via a 999 call. These exemptions include:

• Hospitals
• Residential care homes / nursing homes / hospices
• Children's homes
• Specialised housing premises (e.g., sheltered housing, extra care sheltered housing, supporting living)
• Schools and nurseries
• Residential boarding schools
• Prisons / young offenders' institutions and other secure establishments
• Hostels (e.g., homeless, rehabilitation, youth hostels)
• Hotels, motels, bed & breakfasts and other guest accommodation
• Private dwellings, including flats and high rises
• Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)
• Mobile and park homes
• Houseboats
• Student accommodation / halls of residence
• Grade 1, Grade 2 & Grade 2S Listed heritage buildings
• Buildings of substantial public significance, identified as exempt by LFB

For a complete list of exemptions, it is advisable to consult LFB's official guidance.

Whilst there are no current plans to review the agreed policy exemptions, new policy is currently being prepared in connection with local identification and exemption of high-risk buildings that may not fall under the agreed exemption list.

In addition, there is no process in place for applying for an exemption, including for ‘publicly significant' buildings.

However, anyone who feels they have a special case due to a specific risk is advised to contact their local Borough Team or their local Prevention and Protection Team who will consider cases on an individual basis.

Multi-use buildings

If there is any indication that sleeping accommodation, private dwellings or other exempt premises are affected, then an LFB response will be sent following an automatic fire alarm call.

It will be down to the call operator to decide whether to despatch a response. However, unless the operator is informed at the point of the call as to the nature of the premises, it is important to be aware that they won't usually be able to determine whether mixed use premises are involved, because this is not necessarily information held by LFB.

Alarm Receiving Centres who manage and pass on fire alarm calls should have basic data on the premises from which the fire alarm signal originates from.

An AFA triggered with no sign of fire in a shop or office may not attract a response during daytime hours, but any attached residential accommodation should have suitable fire separation from the commercial elements of the building. Regardless, if a fire is confirmed, a response will be sent.

Responsibilities of building managers and responsible persons

If you are responsible for a commercial building that is non-exempt, you will have a number of obligations and duties under the new policy:

Fire Risk Assessment

You should review and update your Fire Risk Assessment to reflect the changes in LFB's response procedure. Ensure that all necessary measures are in place to minimise the risk of fires and to manage any potential incidents effectively.

Remember that all existing Fire Risk Assessments and general fire safety arrangements for commercial premises should be based on evacuation without the need for fire and rescue service intervention.

Emergency procedures

Develop a suitable emergency plan that includes procedures for investigating AFAs safely. Your plan should enable you to differentiate between false alarms and actual fires.

Confirmation of fire

If an AFA is triggered between the hours of 7am and 8.30pm on any day of the week including weekends and bank holidays, the presence of a fire must be confirmed by calling 999, unless the building is exempt. This confirmation is essential for LFB to despatch emergency services.

If there are multiple fire sensors triggering on your premises, then the person responsible for calling LFB will need to relay that information during the call.

Even where multi-sensor detectors are in place and more than one is actuating, LFB will still only send a response during the set daytime hours when a fire is confirmed via a 999 call, or where the premises are exempt.

Because all responses to fires in non-exempt commercial buildings during daytime hours will be subject to consideration, it is important that the person making the confirmation call is equipped with the necessary information to convey to the call operator.

Staff training

Ensure that all employees or occupants of the building are aware of the new procedures and their role in responding to AFAs.

This includes understanding how to safely evacuate the premises and report a confirmed fire, as well as making the 999 call and being prepared to relay the necessary information.

Alarm Receiving Centres (ARCs)

If your premises use an ARC, it is important to coordinate with them to ensure they can distinguish between false alarms and confirmed fires. This will help streamline the process of reporting to LFB.

Frequently asked questions

Here are some of the most relevant frequently asked questions on the new LFB policy. The full list can be viewed here.

If an AFA is going off and I'm not sure if it's a fire, will LFB still attend when I call?

This will depend on the information you provide. If you believe it to be a residential property (or part residential), an exempt property, or a commercial property with signs of fire such as smoke issuing, then LFB will still attend.

However, if you know it to be a commercial property with no sleeping accommodation and there is no sign of fire, then LFB will not attend.

How do I investigate if I hear an AFA?

This procedure should be set out in advance. It should be considered against the Fire Risk Assessment and included in an emergency plan that is specific to the premises. Nobody should be put in danger when investigating an AFA.

Do I need to let my insurers know about this new policy?

LFB says that this is a matter between businesses and their insurance providers. However, LFB has verified that a response will continue to be sent to all confirmed fires within the LFB area.

Is LFB providing training to businesses and Responsible Persons?

The responsibility of staff training for commercial premises does not fall under the remit of London Fire Brigade.

If you own, manage or operate a business, you need to comply with fire safety law. The main law is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or "the Fire Safety Order". It applies across England and Wales and came into force on 1 October 2006. As part of your responsibilities under the Act, you need to make sure employees are provided with adequate fire safety training.

New LFB policy on automatic fire alarms – summing up

The new LFB policy of not responding to automatic fire alarm calls from commercial buildings between the hours of 7am to 8.30pm seven days per week marks a significant shift in how fire safety is managed in commercial buildings.

By understanding and adapting to these changes, and updating their own fire safety policies and procedures, building managers and Responsible Persons can ensure compliance, and maintain the safety of their premises.

For further details on this new policy and its implications, you can consult the London Fire Brigade's official resources.