An annual report which Includes information on fires attended, deaths due to fires, malicious false alarms, female firefighters and more, has been published by the Welsh Government this week.

The Statistical Release presents information collected about Fire and Rescue Service performance in Wales for the year 2013-14. It also presents comparisons with figures for earlier periods. The performance indicators are grouped under two themes: ‘risk reduction and community safety’ and ‘corporate health’. 

Data in this statistical release are collected annually by the Welsh Government from the three Fire and Rescue Services in Wales via two separate returns for Strategic Performance Indicators (SPI) and Core Performance Indicators (CPI). 

Key points of the report

• There were 13,170 fires attended by the Fire and Rescue Services in Wales, an increase of 15% compared with 2012-13. Since data collection was devolved to Wales in 2004-05 the number has halved.

• There were 7,567 deliberate fires started in Wales, an increase of 18% compared to 2012-13. Since 2004-05 the number has fallen by 62%.

• There were 17 deaths due to fires in Wales; the same number as in 2012-13, but lower than the annual average since 2004-05 (around 21).

There were 225 fire injuries attended by the Fire and Rescue Service in Wales, an increase of 17% compared to 2012-13. The figure is part of a fluctuating series in a range of 193 to 310 injuries per year since 2006-07.

• In 31% of dwelling fires there was no fire detection equipment, 1 percentage point more compared to 2012-13.

• There were 2,000 malicious false alarm received by Fire and Rescue Service in Wales during the year; this has dropped by 26% compared with 2012-13 and by 62% since 2004-05.

Download the report here http://wales.gov.uk/docs/statistics/2014/140918-fire-rescue-service-performance-2013-14-en.pdf

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

Original source

Wales.gov