Unwanted Fire Signals (UwFS) — often called false alarms from Automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) systems — remain a persistent issue for TWFRS. They place an avoidable burden on our crews and reduce the fire cover available to protect the public and businesses. Put simply: we cannot be in two places at once.
False alarms are commonly caused by cooking fumes, steam, poorly maintained systems, or incorrectly placed detectors. While TWFRS has worked hard to reduce their impact, more can be achieved through awareness and by clarifying the legal responsibilities of those in charge of premises.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended), the Responsible Person has a legal duty to ensure fire alarm systems are properly managed and maintained. Persistent false alarms may indicate poor fire safety management and non‑compliance with the law.
Have you received a UwFS Calling Card?
If our crews attended your premises and no fire was found, you will have been left a Calling Card near the fire alarm panel. The QR code has directed you here.
This page explains:
- Why it matters
- Your responsibilities
- Relevant fire safety legislation
- What happens next
- Guidance to help reduce false alarms
Managing Unwanted Fire Signals
Why it matters
In 2024, TWFRS attended 4,965 false alarms — 30% of all incidents.
Each false alarm diverts crews from genuine emergencies where lives and property may be at risk.
Repeated callouts reduce availability, increase response times, and cause fatigue among crews.
False alarms also disrupt businesses and residents, through maintenance needs and disruption.
For tall residential buildings, an UwFS requires the attendance of four fire engines and an Aerial Ladder Platform.
Your obligations and responsibilities
As the Responsible Person under the Fire Safety Order, you must ensure alarm systems are:
- Installed and maintained by qualified professionals.
- Configured to minimise false activations.
- Regularly tested, reviewed, and causes of false alarms promptly addressed.
- Supported by clear fire action procedures for staff and residents.
You should:
- Train staff to investigate every alarm and record activations.
- Put procedures in place for unstaffed premises.
- Ensure staff understand common causes (e.g. cooking fumes, aerosols, steam).
In practice, this means reviewing your fire safety policies, staff training, and maintenance schedules regularly. Guidance should be given to all relevant persons on how false alarms occur and how to avoid them – for example, not leaving cooking unattended, ensuring adequate ventilation, avoiding aerosols near detectors, and closing bathroom doors to prevent steam escaping. Premises with on‑site staff should be trained to investigate each alarm and confirm whether it was genuine, malicious, or accidental, keeping records of time, location, and cause. Where premises are unstaffed, a nominated individual must be notified of any activation and respond appropriately to manage the situation.
TWFRS attendance policy:
When crews attend and confirm an alarm is false, they will remain on site for up to 20 minutes while awaiting a Responsible Person to silence/reset the system. It is not the responsibility of TWFRS personnel to reset fire alarm systems. If no Responsible Person attends, or response times are excessive, the premises will be referred to the UwFS team and monitored for future issues.
Enforcement and legal consequences:
Persistent failures to manage false alarms may lead to enforcement action under the Fire Safety Order. This can include:
- Enforcement Notices requiring improved staff response, better system maintenance, further training, or redesigning alarm systems.
- Prohibition Notices in serious cases of negligence or repeated non‑compliance, restricting the use of part or all of the premises until adequate systems are in place.
Failure to comply with an Enforcement Notice, or breaching a Prohibition Notice, can result in prosecution with unlimited fines and/or imprisonment.
Relevant fire safety legislation
Repeat false alarms may demonstrate non‑compliance with Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (as amended), which requires all fire safety equipment and systems – including alarms – to be properly maintained and in efficient working order.
How Article 17 applies to UwFS
- Poor maintenance: A high rate of false alarms often indicates a system fault, breaching the duty to maintain equipment in “efficient working order.”
- Ineffective equipment: Repeated false alarms cause complacency. Occupants may ignore alarms during a real fire, rendering the warning system ineffective and compromising the safety of relevant persons.
- Enforcement action: If persistent false alarms are not addressed, the fire and rescue service may take enforcement action under the Order.
Other relevant articles
- Article 9 (Risk assessment): False alarms should trigger a review and update of your fire risk assessment, adding control measures to reduce UwFS.
- Article 11 (Fire safety arrangements): Requires effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring, and review of preventive and protective measures — including procedures to investigate and mitigate UwFS.
- Article 13 (Detection and alarms): Systems must be suitable and effective. Persistent false alarms may indicate the system is not appropriate for the premises.
Enforcement and penalties
Prosecution: Failure to comply with an Enforcement Notice or breaching a Prohibition Notice can lead to prosecution, with unlimited fines and/or imprisonment.
Notices: TWFRS may issue Enforcement Notices requiring improvements (staff response, maintenance, training, or system redesign) and, in serious or repeated non‑compliance, Prohibition Notices restricting use of part or all of the premises.
What happens next
Your premises will be monitored for further false alarms.
If the UwFS Team identify three or more activations in more than 24 hours within a 30-day period, you’ll be sent formal correspondence and the premise will be monitored for a further 30 days.
Further activations = further correspondence and a Fire Safety Audit will be scheduled.
Enforcement action may be taken if issues persist.
Guidance to help reduce false alarms
For practical steps to reduce false alarms, see NFCC guidance:
Code of Practice for the Reduction of False Alarms
CFOA Guidance for the Reduction of False Alarms & Unwanted Fire Signals