False Alarm Study: Increase Fire Safety by Understanding False Alarms – Analysis of False Alarms from Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in Europe

2nd, revised and expanded edition

In hazardous situations, alerting those affected and intervention services is crucial. In several cases, there is however a lack of evidence of any hazard at the location of the incident. In such cases we are talking about false alarms. There are many different causes for false alarms and the phenomenon is widespread. They exist for example in alarm and early warning systems, people screeners, in the diagnosis of diseases, in journalism and in politics.

This False Alarm Study is the result of the work of the Euralarm Task Group on False Alarms. The Task Group investigated the false alarm issue of fire detection and fire alarm systems in several European countries. The material was carefully collected and objectively processed using a comprehensible basis to achieve comparable calculations and identify trends and risk priorities. The study provides approaches towards reducing false alarms and discusses the opportunities and risks. The work is currently unique.

For the first time facts and trends on the false alarm issue of fire detection and fire alarm systems with a view of several European countries are presented and made available to an international audience. The study provides basics relevant to the fire safety industry concerned, but also to fire departments, associations, insurance companies, testing facilities, planners and installers, building operators and science.