What Happens When a Fire Alarm is Triggered?

We've had several clients ask for a clear explanation of what happens when a Fire Alarm is triggered, especially if it's monitored by an ARC (Alarm Receiving Centre). With major Fire Brigade policy changes across our region in 2024, understanding your Fire Alarm response procedures is more critical than ever.

If your Fire Alarm went off right now, would you know what happens next - especially now that Fire Brigades have stopped automatically attending most commercial properties?

This guide explains how ARC-Monitored alarms work, what happens during and outside working hours and how recent policy shifts affect your insurance compliance.

Critical Update: Fire Brigade Response Policy Changes (2024/2025)

Since October 2024, the majority of UK Fire and Rescue Services have fundamentally changed how they respond to Automatic Fire Alarms (AFAs). They no longer automatically attend AFA activations at most commercial properties during daytime hours (typically 7am-8:30pm) unless fire is confirmed via a 999 call.

Exempt buildings that still receive automatic Fire Brigade attendance include:

• Care homes and hospitals (sleeping accommodation)
• Hotels and student accommodation
• Some schools (varies by region)
• High-risk premises with sleeping occupancy

This means your ARC Monitoring and response procedures are now more critical than ever - they're your primary line of defence, not a supplement to automatic Fire Brigade attendance.

What Happens When Your Fire Alarm Activates

During Working Hours

1. Alarm Activation
   A staff member presses a call point or a detector activates automatically.
2. Your team responds
   Staff follow your Fire Evacuation procedure if the building is occupied.
3. Instant ARC Alert Sent
   The alarm signal transmits to Southern Monitoring's NSI-approved ARC within seconds and appears on an operator's screen.
4. Confirmation check
   The ARC checks for signs of a real fire to avoid unnecessary callouts:
   • A second detector triggers
   • Your staff report visible smoke or flames
   • CCTV footage confirms the fire (if monitored)
5. Fire Brigade contact
   If there is credible confirmation of a fire:
   • ARC calls the Fire Brigade directly for higher-risk premises (such as buildings with sleeping accommodation or vulnerable occupants like care homes, schools, hotels) OR
   • Contacts your team to investigate and call 999 with details if they can confirm smoke or flames
6. Keyholders Notification
   Your nominated keyholders are contacted to support the response on site.

Out of Hours

1. Automatic alarm detection
   When the building is empty, the system detects a fire condition and activates automatically.
2. Direct ARC transmission
   Signal goes immediately to the ARC.
3. Confirmation attempts
   The ARC may seek confirmation – for example, via additional alarm signals, by contacting a keyholder or through CCTV verification if your cameras are monitored by the ARC – to reduce unwanted fire signals (i.e. false alarms).
4. Response decision: Fire Brigade Contact Depends on Risk Level
   If there is credible evidence of a real fire, the ARC follows your local Fire Brigade's automatic Fire Alarm (AFA) policy:
   • High-risk or exempt buildings: ARC contacts Fire Brigade directly
   • All others: keyholders attend, confirm the situation and call 999 if needed
5. Keyholders Attend Site
   They support emergency services if mobilised and secure the building afterwards.

Fire Brigade Response: What It Means for Essex, London, Kent, Herts & Suffolk

Blake's operates across five regions - and Fire Brigade response policies vary significantly depending on your location. Understanding your local Fire & Rescue Service policy is critical for compliance and protection.

London Fire Brigade (LFB)

Strictest policy since 29 October 2024:

• NO automatic attendance at commercial properties between 7am-8:30pm unless fire confirmed via 999 call
• Attended 52,000 false alarms in 2023/24 (99% were false alarms)
• Exemptions: Care homes, hospitals, hotels, and some schools
• See the London Fire Brigade's AFA policy here
• Your ARC monitoring is now your primary emergency response, not backup

Kent Fire & Rescue Service

24/7 call challenge — one of the strictest policies nationally:

• Call challenge applies 24/7 for all non-sleeping accommodation
• Will not automatically respond unless fire or signs of fire confirmed
• Kent has operated this approach for over a decade

Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service

Non-attendance for unconfirmed AFAs at low-risk commercial premises during daytime hours:

• Hertfordshire operates a call filtering policy for commercial properties without sleeping accommodation
• Confirmation of fire required before attendance during filtered hours
• Contact HFRS directly for current policy details applicable to your premises

Essex Fire & Rescue Service

Non-attendance policy for unconfirmed AFAs:

• ECFRS will not provide an emergency response to fire calls generated by AFA systems unless a call is received via 999 confirming a fire, or there are physical signs of fire at the premises. See ffull policy for unwanted fire signals.
• Failure to reduce false alarms may result in legal enforcement action

Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service

Moderate filtering approach:

• Did NOT attend 18% of Automatic Fire Alarms in year ending March 2024 (505 out of 2,803 calls)
• "Unwanted fire signal policy" based on National Fire Chiefs Council guidance
• Partnership approach with businesses to reduce activations
• Monitors premises with high false alarm rates

Why This Patchwork of Response Policies Matters for Your Business

The varying approaches across our region mean:

• ARC Monitoring is increasingly important - especially in London, Kent, and Hertfordshire where policies are strictest
• Your keyholder procedures needs to be robust - you may need to attend and confirm fires before Fire Brigade responds
• System Maintenance is critical - false alarms could leave you without fire brigade response when you need it
• Fire confirmation training is vital - staff must know how to safely investigate alarm activations and report confirmed fires
• Fire risk assessments must be updated - procedures should reflect your local Fire Brigade's specific policy

"What a credit your engineers are to your company - smart, clean, bring all equipment needed. No issues with invoices, booking visits."
- Marian Brown, Office Manager, Wethersfield C of E Primary School

Insurance Compliance: What You Need to Know

While UK law doesn’t require ARC monitoring, many insurers include conditions relating to fire alarm monitoring, maintenance and response procedures. Fire Alarm expectations typically include:

• A Fire Detection and Alarm system (BAFE SP203-1) designed and maintained in line with BS 5839-1:2025 by a third-party certificated provider (e.g. BAFE SP203-1 registered company)
• Evidence of regular testing and maintenance, with service records
• Clear, documented response procedures that account for local Fire Brigade policies
• Monitoring and keyholder attendance, especially for buildings left unoccupied overnight

Failing to meet these expectations could weaken or void your cover. Some insurers are reviewing policies for sites without monitoring, especially in stricter regions.

Always check your individual policy terms, but if you don't have 24/7 monitoring in place, now is the time to review it.

ARC-Monitored vs Non-Monitored Fire Alarms

What About Legal Requirements?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires every employer or building operator to:

• Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment
• Install appropriate fire detection and warning systems where necessary, as identified by the Fire Risk Assessment
• Maintain fire safety equipment in efficient working order (Article 17) — the FSO does not specify testing frequencies. BS 5839-1:2025 recommends weekly testing of a manual call point and professional servicing at least every six months.

Compliance with BS 5839-1:2025 (updated April 2025) is not law - but it is the recognised British Standard used by installers, fire officers and insurers to assess suitability.

The 2025 update introduces stricter requirements for detection in sleeping areas, faster signalling times (signals must reach ARC within 120 seconds) and mandatory zone plans for all systems.

Our Established Process

Choosing Blake's means we make sure your system is:

• Designed to BS 5839-1:2025 standards
• Monitored 24/7 via Southern Monitoring's NSI Gold-approved ARC
• Matched to your building type, insurer expectations
• Integrated with CCTV (if needed) for visual verification
• Maintained and documented for compliance

Blake Fire & Security has protected Essex, London, Kent, Hertfordshire, and Suffolk businesses for decades.

If we're not qualified to provide a service, we won't offer it. NSI Gold approved, BAFE SP203-1 registered and SSAIB certificated - big enough to cope with multi-site projects, small enough to care about every detail.

Call 01702 447800 | Book Your Free Fire Safety Consultation