Amendment to attendance arrangements for automatic fire alarm actuations from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service

You may recall that we wrote to you on the 03 September 2024 to notify of a change in the way South Wales Fire and Rescue Service will be attending Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA’s) actuations from the 6th of January 2025.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are progressing with amendments to our response to AFA actuations, where no confirmation of a fire is received. This is being undertaken to reduce the significant number of False Fire Alarm actuations we currently attend. Having given some consideration to feedback received through our engagement and education process, the Service has decided to extend its list of premises that are exempt from the new policy and that the night-time, sleeping risk only model will no longer be initiated.

This change to our response model demonstrates our commitment to listening to and acting responsibly to the feedback received from both our internal and external stakeholders. The list of premises below will get a response to fire alarm signals during both the day and night (24/7) from 06 January 2025. 1. Residential Premises (including, but not limited to - blocks of flats, student halls of residence, NHS staff accommodation, sheltered housing, HMO’s, Nursing and Residential Care Homes ) 2. Educational buildings (nursery’s, schools, colleges/universities) 3. Heritage buildings (Grade I and II listed buildings, museums, libraries) If your premises does not fall within any of the building categories above, then the Service will not be responding to AFA’s in your building at both day or night.

Date: 04 December 2024

Contact: Tel: E-mail: afaenquiries@southwales-fire.gov.uk

We will always respond to confirmed fires which will attract a full or enhanced emergency response, dependent upon the information received. I would advise that you review your fire risk assessment and fire strategy to take account of this amendment and where necessary make any changes required to maintain effective fire safety arrangements.

I would also invite you or relevant representatives of your organisation to visit our new AFA’s webpage which contains further information on this at: https://bit.ly/SWFRS-automatic-fire-alarms