Fire and Rescue Service callout charges
| Authority | Department of Home Affairs |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2024-04-15 |
| Outcome | Information not held |
| Outcome date | 2024-05-15 |
| Case ID | 3801065 |
Summary
The requester asked for statistics on charges issued and paid for emergency fire callouts over the last five years, but the Department of Home Affairs responded that the information is not held because emergency callouts are not charged.
Key Facts
- The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service does not charge for callouts deemed to be emergencies.
- Charges are applied to false alarms or fake/prank calls.
- The fee for false alarms was £375 per call until 1st May 2023.
- The fee for false alarms increased to £395 per call (plus VAT) from 1st May 2023.
- The authority could not find the specific historical data requested regarding emergency callout charges.
Data Disclosed
- £375
- £395
- 1st May 2023
- 2024-04-15
- 2024-05-15
- 3801065
Exemptions Cited
- Information not held
Original Request
For each of the last five years: (a) how many charges have been issued by the Fire and Rescue Service for emergency callouts (b) how many of those were paid (c) how much money in total was received I'd like information on all callouts deemed emergencies if possible. If there is a way of categorising those callouts (fire, flooding, automatic alarms, false alarms, etc) that would be very useful, but it's not essential.
Data Tables (1)
| in | cases | where | a | callout | is | deemed | to | be | a | “false | alarm” | or | a | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| “fake/prank” | call, | calls | were | generally | charged | at | £375 | per | call | up | until | 1st | May | 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| when | it | changed | to | £395 | per | call | (plus | VAT). |
Full Response Text
Freedom of Information Coordinator DHA Headquarters Tromode Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP
Telephone: (01624) 687017
Web address: www.gov.im/dha
Email: DPO-DHA@dha.gov.im
Our ref: 3801065 9 May 2024
Dear ###
We write further to your request received 15 April 2024, which states:
"For each of the last five years:
(a) how many charges have been issued by the Fire and Rescue Service for emergency callouts
(b) How many of those were paid
(c) How much money in total was received
On 18 April 2024, we asked you to clarify what you would define as 'charges' and 'emergency call outs'.
Your response to our request for clarification on 19 April 2024 was as follows:
I'd like information on all callouts deemed emergencies if possible. If there is a way of categorising those callouts (fire, flooding, automatic alarms, false alarms, etc) that would be very useful, but it's not essential."
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the IOM Fire and Rescue service does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have requested. However, pursuant to our duty to advise and assist, we provide the following response to your queries:
The IOM Fire and Rescue Service (“IOMFRS”) do not charge for call-outs which are deemed to be emergencies.
In accordance with Section 15 of the Isle of Man Freedom of Information Act, it is our duty to provide reasonable advice and assistance to individuals making or considering making requests for information held by our public authority. Through this it is relevant
to mention that, whilst the IOMFRS do not charge for call outs which are deemed to be emergencies, in cases where a callout is deemed to be a “false alarm” or a “fake/prank” call, calls were generally charged at £375 per call up until 1st May 2023 when it changed to £395 per call (plus VAT).
Should you require further clarification or assistance on any matter related to your request, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Please quote the reference number 3801065 in any future communications.
Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.
An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal
to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;
1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with
Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any
time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another
form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in
making any subsequent decision.
More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information
Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im.
Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact
me.
Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at
www.gov.im/foi.
I will now close your request as of this date.