An unwanted alarm is defined as an emergency alarm signalled at a time when we are satisfied there was no emergency requiring the attendance of the fire service.

We respond to around 18,000 unwanted alarm activations from monitored fire alarm systems per year. This creates a high burden on the community in the form of building occupant complacency generated from exposure to excessive unwanted alarm activations and the high financial ​burden of business interruption.

We are committed to working in partnership with key stakeholders to reduce community complacency towards unwanted alarms. For more information, download the Managing Your Unwanted Fire Alarms Brochure (PDF, 12.1 MB).

To assist in managing your unwanted alarm activations, we have compiled a Checklist to Help Reduce Unwanted Alarms. More detail is also included in these Unwanted Alarms Frequently Asked Questions.

We have further information for Building Industry Professionals, including an outline of the Pragmatic Cooking and Shower Test process.

We have the following policy for the use of an Alarm Investigation Facility.