PREVENTION BETTER THAN CURE

摘要

The joint CFOA-industry false alarms policy is currently being revised to bring it in line with developments since it was first introduced. In the context a false alarm rate of 98 percent from automatic systems, Iain Cox explains the main changes, and the thinking behind them. In 2004 the chief fire officers Association (CFOA) - with contributions from the Fire Industry Association (FIA), British Security Industry Association (BSIA) and the Telecare Services Association (TSA) -produced a model agreement on reducing unwanted fire signals from remotely monitored fire alarms. This was based on the findings of the Home Office report of March 2001 entitled Reducing False Alarms - Reduction through Partnership. From late 2006 a Working Group from the CFOA National Fire Safety Committee, again with support from the FIA, BSIA and TSA, have been working on a revision of this document, CFOA has decided to publish a draft of this policy with certain elements still under review. These elements will be introduced independently and should not delay or prevent the existing elements being implemented.