Changes to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service response to Automatic Fire Alarms from 1 July 2026

Changes to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service response to Automatic Fire Alarms from 1 July 2026.  

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has announced a new Automatic Fire Alarm attendance procedure for commercial premises and other buildings where people do not sleep. The Service currently does not attend automatic fire alarm activations at this kind of premises between 7am and 7pm. From 1 July 2026 this will extend to 24-hours, unless a fire is confirmed. This will help us prioritise resources where they are needed most and brings us in line with other fire and rescue services regionally and nationally. 

The change forms part of the Community Risk Management Plan 2025–2029 and reflects the Service’s commitment to prevention, protection and effective emergency response. The majority of automatic fire alarm calls at commercial premises are false alarms. The revised approach will support crews to spend more time on prevention work, training, business safety activity and responding to genuine emergencies. An emergency response will always be provided if a fire is confirmed. 

Since the changes to AFA attendance were introduced in 2023, we now spend 8% less time responding to automatic fire alarms. This has freed up time to focus more on commercial premises in rural and remote areas. 

In 2025/ 2026 an additional 416 businesses received a fire safety check, alongside continued fire safety regulation and inspection of 268 identified high-risk premises. It has also supported a significant increase in Home Fire Safety visits, from 3,004 completed visits in 2023/24 to more than 6,300 in 2025/26. 

Further information about this change and the wider priorities for the Service can be found in the Community Risk Management Plan 2025–2029 on the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service website. 

 Under the revised approach:   

• The service will continue to attend all confirmed fires.   

• Fire crews will not attend automatic fire alarms at premises where people do not sleep, unless a fire has been confirmed.  

• Attendance will continue at identified high-risk premises, based on risk and intelligence.  

• All automatic fire alarms at premises where people sleep will continue to receive a response.    

• All automatic fire alarms at domestic properties will continue to receive a response.   

 

Head of Protection and Risk, Group Manager Jon Darnton said:   

“These changes reflect the priorities set out in our Community Risk Management Plan, focusing our resources on incidents that present the greatest risk to life. This approach will ensure crews are available to respond to emergencies while continuing to deliver vital prevention and protection work across North Yorkshire.  

We want to reassure the public we will continue to attend all incidents where people sleep or where there is a confirmed fire.  

Businesses play an important role in this. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, they are responsible for maintaining effective fire safety measures, including fire alarm systems. Poor maintenance remains a key cause of false alarms and we will continue to work with businesses to provide advice and support to help reduce this risk from fire.   

The Service continues to work with key stakeholders to support a coordinated approach to community safety, protection and ensure efficient use of public resources.”  

Businesses can access guidance on reducing false alarms via the Service’s website or by contacting the Business Fire Safety team at Capabilities@northyorksfire.gov.uk or 01609 780150  

ENDS