London Fire Brigade

Some facts and figures

Each year, the London Fire Brigade responds to some 290,000 calls for service. This makes the London control room (at Brigade Headquarters in Lambeth) the busiest in the country - West Midlands, Strathclyde and Greater Manchester receive some 90,000 calls each per year. The number of false alarm calls exceeds the number of calls to actual fire incidents.

The Brigade's services range from extinguishing fires, to rescuing people shut in lifts, rescuing animals, cutting accident victims out of wrecked cars, dealing with floods and making buildings safe. The Brigade also handles a wide range of chemical and toxic substance spillages.

Calls - 1994 - %

Fires: 27.4

False alarms: 38.7

Flooding: 3.1
Shut in lift: 9.3
Locked in/out: 10.7
Road accidents: 2.3
Dangerous substances: 0.4
Other special services: 8.1

The majority of false alarm calls are made with good intent. However, about 60 calls a day are classed as malicious false alarms. Such calls waste valuable time and resources and can mean that appliances are out of position when they are needed for a real emergency.

Download emergency calls data in CSV format for import to spreadsheet or database

Fires in buildings - %

Cooking / Cookers: 27

Malicious intent: 24

Faulty or misused appliances: 18
Other sources: 18
Carelessness: 10
Playing with fire: 3

One quarter of all building fires are the result of malicious actions - 10% of building fires are the result of carelessness (dropping lighted cigarette ends into furniture etc.). Cooking and cookers account for the highest single group of buildings fire sources.

The horrific aftermath of a house fire - probably starting in foam filled furniture

London Fire Brigade - some statistics
Year	Total number of fire incidents	Total number of false alarms	Special services	Total incidents	Fire Brigade personnel killed at incidents	Children and Adult lives lost	Total casualties inc. firefighters	Total rescues
1985	50,715	44,345	49,459	144,519	-	154	1,521	803
1986	46,487	43,398	46,793	136,678	-	124	1,557	829
1987	43,654	46,634	64,735	155,023	1	192	1,501	941
1988	48,232	50,750	57,659	156,641	-	144	1,501	941
1989	57,861	55,982	65,790	179,633	-	133	1,621	976
1990	57,030	61,877	73,948	192,855	-	121	1,521	534
1991	45,054	61,810	71,720	178,584	2	104	1,457	1,063
1992	44,328	64,770	58,073	167,171	1	120	1,489	1,076
1993	46,425	64,912	57,270	168,607	1	82	1,378	1,039
1994	47,705	67,294	60,643	175,642	-	86	1,511	570
1995	55,919	69,639	65,020	190,678	-	111	1,373	499
1996	51,824	71,209	64,985	188,018	-	92	1,794	937

Download Fire Brigade statistics in CSV format for import to spreadsheet or database

Attendance at road accidents accounts for 2.3% of all emergency call outs

London Fire Brigade

Vehicle fleet - including reserves
242 Pumping Appliances 2 Fireboats
6 Fire Rescue Units 4 Bulk foam units
4 Damage Control Tenders 10 Hose Laying units
30 Aerial Appliances 5 Command Units
5 Fire Investigation Units 5 Command Support Units

Operational Personnel - Total = 6263

Chief Fire Officer:
1
Deputy Chief
Fire Officer: 1
Assistant Chief Officer: 6
Senior & Divisional
Officer: 107
Assistant Divisional
Officer: 149

Station Officer:
435
Sub-Officer:
707
Leading Firefighter: 619
Firefighter:
3857

Control staff = 93

Things to do

Use the data in the statistics table above and prepare a table to show the number of false alarm calls as a percentage of the number of fire incidents attended and as a percentage of the total incidents.
Draw a graph to show fire incident calls and false alarms for the period 1985 to 1995.
Hint: You may find it easier to download the data and use a spreadsheet to perform these tasks.
Which year had the highest number of fatalities? This higher figure was the result of the fire at the Kings Cross underground station. Can you estimate the number of people who died in that fire (hint: look at the figures for the years on either side).
The majority of fire deaths occur in the home. What simple steps can be taken to reduce this risk?

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