M E M O / N O T E D E S E R V I C E

To / Destinataire	Chair and Members Community and Protective Services Committee/ Président et membres du Comité des services communautaires et de protection	File / N° de fichier: ACS2010-COS-EPS-0016
From / Expéditeur	Susan Jones, General Manager, Emergency and Protective Services/ Directrice générale Services de protection et d’urgence	Contact / Personne-ressource : John deHooge, Fire Chief, Ottawa Fire Service/Chef, Service des incendies d’Ottawa
Subject / Objet	Ottawa Fire Service False Alarm Public Education Campaign Update/Le point sur la campagne d’éducation du public concernant les fausses alarmes au Service des incendies d’Ottawa	Date: 12 May 2010 / le 12 mai 2010

Background:

In the 2006 Audit of the Ottawa Fire Service the Auditor General recommended that “the Ottawa Fire Service pursue the development of a public education program related to false alarms.” Staff agreed with the recommendation and undertook a review of false alarm incidents within the City of Ottawa and comparable municipalities who have recently implemented false alarm programs to determine the appropriate strategy to minimize incidents of false alarms.

On October 4, 2007 Community and Protective Services Standing Committee received a report entitled Ottawa Fire Services- False Alarm (ACS2007-CPS-OFS-0004) which outlined the incidents of false alarms within the city in 2006 and proposed the creation of a public education program. The 2006 data demonstrated that 33% of the responses made by Fire Suppression personnel were to false alarms – a number equal to 8081 calls.

It was determined that an education and awareness program targeted to building owners who are repeat false alarm offenders would be more effective than a regulatory by-law. As a result of the October 4, 2007 report, the OFS was directed to propose and implement an educational program targeted to building owners who are repeat false alarm offenders.

The objective of this memo is to provide the Community and Protective Services Committee with an update on the development and implementation of a False Alarm Education and Awareness Program.

Incidents and Types of False Alarms:

A fire alarm system provides early warning to building occupants of a possible fire emergency. This early warning allows occupants the time to either exit the building safely, seek alternate routes of exit or find an area of refuge within the building. Fire alarm systems also provide early detection of fire emergencies and provide an opportunity for early intervention by the Fire Service. False alarms may be triggered by any fire alarm system, whether the result of system malfunction, malicious intent, or accidental activation.

Ottawa Fire Services utilizes a records management system (RMS) to track the incidents of false alarms. During the period of 2007-2009, 33% of all response by suppression crews continues to be to false alarms. Table 1 below outlines the nature of those responses by category.

Table 1: False Fire Alarm Calls by Category 2007-2009

Year	Total False Alarm Calls Received	Percentage of Total Call Volume	Alarm Equipment Malfunction (31)	Alarm Equipment Accidental (32)	Human Malicious (33)	Human Perceived Emergency (34)	Human Accidental (35)	Burn Complaint (36)	Other False Alarm Calls (39)
2007	8,195	33.2%	2685	1555	827	1071	1563	119	375
2008	8,511	33.1%	2818	1564	836	1045	1759	137	352
2009	8,837	33.4%	2516	1601	841	978	1743	130	386

The following provides definitions of each type of False Alarm code as defined by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office:

· Alarm equipment malfunctions are alarms activated because of an electrical or mechanical equipment failure.

· Alarm equipment accidental are alarms that have been set-off erroneously during inspection or repair of a system where the OFS has not been advised that such testing and repair is taking place and/or alarms in multi unit or commercial buildings from external conditions – steam, smoke, etc.

· Human malicious false alarms are those deliberately set by persons who understand that no fire emergency exists.

· Human Perceived emergencies are fire calls called in by persons who believe that a fire emergency may exist, but the incident is determined to be unfounded upon inspection (e.g., steam emanating from a building in winter that is misconstrued as a fire incident).

· Human accidental activations are activations caused by persons erroneously setting off alarms by accidental contact with a sensor or activation device.

· Authorized control burn complaint is caused when people, who are unaware that a controlled fire has been authorized by the City of Ottawa, call in a fire.

· Other false alarm calls are items that do not fit into the above categories.

In 2009 several additional new classification codes were implemented which accounted for 642 fire service calls in 2009. These new classifications are:

· Carbon Monoxide false alarms are fire calls for a perceived emergency with no carbon monoxide present

· Carbon Monoxide false alarms are fire calls for an equipment malfunction with no carbon monoxide present

· Public hazard false alarms are fire calls by persons who believe hazard may be present which is determined to be unfouded (e.g., gas leak, spills, ruptured water pipes, power lines down, suspicious substances)

· Rescue false alarms are fire calls requesting rescue services that are not required upon investigation (e.g., vehicle extrication, building collapse, water rescue, trench and/or other rescues)

· Medical/resuscitator call false alarms are fire calls from individuals who believe a medical emergency may exist, which, upon investigation, is determined not to exist.

Fire Services is not concerned with random accidental alarm activations caused by human error or well intentioned calls for service that are ultimately determined to be unfounded. Punitive enforcement of those calls would serve to discourage the reporting of incidents that may be emergencies and create poor relations with the public. Malicious false alarms, which are a source of concern, are already treated as violations that can be pursued under the Criminal Code. Accordingly, our Education and Awareness program will not focus on those types of false alarms.

Education and Awareness Program:

As identified by the Office of the Auditor General and in the report entitled Ottawa Fire Services- False Alarm (ACS2007-CPS-OFS-0004) Ottawa Fire Service staff believe that the most effective and efficient manner to minimize the incidents of false alarms is the implementation of a public education and awareness campaign.

After analysing the trends and patterns of false alarm statistics for the period of 2006-2009, staff has created a program which includes the following educational and awareness components:

· Implementation of a program requiring all property owners with a history of 5 or more false alarms within a six-month period to submit copies of their annual fire alarm certificate for a period of two years.

· Meet with owners of properties subject to repeat malicious or prank false alarms to identify possible solutions (eg: neighborhood watch activities, the distribution of information pamphlets to tenants/occupants, installation of surveillance equipment, notification of the Ottawa Police Services).

· Utilize Fire Safety inspections to assist property owners in identifying appropriate measures to reduce accidental activations (e.g., sprinkler head guards, relocation of fire alarm pull stations, installation of fire alarm pull station covers).

· Development of a False Alarm Education Pamphlet for public distribution and distribution to property owners and representatives at false alarm responses by suppression personnel.

· Development of a multi-media campaign to educate residents about the need to reduce false alarms.

· Development and implementation of a Standing Operating Procedure to ensure that all personnel will be aware of any new or amended procedures or standards.

· Ensuring qualified technicians are performing the annual testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems in accordance with the requirement of the Ontario Fire Code.

Conclusion:

Ottawa Fire Services remains committed to ensuring that public education and awareness activities are undertaken to reduce incidents of false alarms, and ensure that the resources of the service are used effectively and efficiently.

The OFS will be rolling out elements of the campaign this summer (e.g., meeting with property owners of properties subject to repeat false alarms, utilizing fire safety inspections to assist property owners in identifying appropriate measures to reduce accidental activations) with full implementation of all components of the campaign operationalized by September 2010.

Should you have any questions, please contact Fire Chief deHooge at extension 29411 or Deputy Chief Montone at extension 29420.

c.c. Mayor and Members of Council

Executive Management Committee