FIRE SAFETY LONDON FIRE BRIGADE TO END AUTOMATIC ALARM RESPONSE

London Fire Brigade has announced that from 1st October 2024 it will no longer respond to automatic fire alarms at most commercial properties between the times of 7am and 8:30pm. This move, in line with many Fire and Rescue services across the UK, is being implemented to limit responses to unwanted fire alarm signals, freeing up firefighters to attend genuine emergencies.

After 1st October London Fire Brigade will only attend automatic fire alarms once a fire has been confirmed, which could delay attendance and increase the risk of significant fire damage. Businesses with premises covered by the City of London Fire Brigade who have automatic fire alarms need to take action now to mitigate the increased risks to property and life.

Ahead of these changes businesses should:

1) Update Fire Risk assessments to reflect the delayed response times

2) Revise Fire Safety plans to ensure confirmed fires during business hours are reported by dialling 999

3) Upgrade Fire Detection Systems to include double knock, multi-sensing detectors, or other confirmed technology that requires multiple triggers, providing a confirmed activation

4) Develop a keyholder confirmation process to verify automatic fire detection activations outside business hours

5) Employee training on the new procedures following an automatic fire detection activation, so employees are prepared to respond safely and effectively

6) Update Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) protocols so that secondary confirmation is needed through additional detector activations or keyholder verification

Impact on insurance

Premises impacted by these changes will be considered at higher risk of fire damages, therefore may impact insurance coverage. Businesses should inform their broker as soon as possible, to ensure they stay covered for fire risks. It is also imperative that risk assessments, fire safety plans and staff training are updated, and that businesses take other appropriate steps (such as those listed above) to mitigate the increased risk of potential damages that could be caused by fires during these hours.

Speak to an expert

If you are unsure if your current level of cover is sufficient for your business, or are looking for advice on how to manage your risks during this time, get in touch. We take the time to understand the unique risk factors for every client and can advise the best cover to protect your business.

Rebecca Sugden rebecca.sugden@tysers.com 01462 439 849 | 07971 501 757 www.tysers.com