Alarms always going off either due to system fault or by unknown cause

Summary

A resident requested statistics on Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service call-outs to Lord Street flats between April 2018 and April 2019, specifically regarding system faults, unknown causes, and smoke inhalation incidents. The Department of Home Affairs disclosed that there were 2 system faults, 8 call-outs due to unknown causes, and 0 incidents involving smoke inhalation treatment.

Key Facts

• The request covered call-outs to Murray's House through Athol House on Lord Street, Douglas.
• The data period requested was from 01/04/2018 to 02/04/2019.
• There were 2 call-outs attributed to circuit board or system faults.
• There were 8 call-outs set off by unknown causes or persons without actual reason.
• There were 0 call-outs where a person required treatment for smoke inhalation.

Data Disclosed

• 2
• 8
• 0
• 01/04/2018
• 02/04/2019
• 01/04/2019
• 8pm
• 80%
• 788465

Original Request

To whom this may concern, My Name is Mr ************* I would like to ask for the relevant details of Isle Of Man Fire and Rescue Service call outs to the Lord Street flats block 1 Murray's house through to block 4 Athol House Douglas between the dates of 01/04/18 and 02/04/19. I would like to request the information for the following. The total number of call outs found to be down to Circuit board faults. The total number of call outs found to have been Set off by an unknown cause or persons due to without actual cause or reason. The total number of call outs for Actual events for where a person has had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The reason I am requesting this information is I live in ************** and on the 01/04/2019 Isle Of Man Fire And Rescue Service were called out due to the Alarms going off at around 8pm which supposedly had been set off by a number of unknown youths who apparently ran off down South Quay. Upon speaking with several of the residents in the blocks, it was agreed that this has gone on for too long now and we are all getting very tired of having to leave our flats due to system faults that set the Alarms off or unknown persons deliberately setting the alarm off for unknown reasons. It is that bad that I would say an estimated 80% of the residents no longer leave their flats when the alarm goes off as they put it down to yet another fault or a non urgent matter, this one day could potentially cost somebody their lives. I would like to request this information so I can take it to the next meeting with Douglas Borough council and Isle Of Man Constabulary at the end of the month. We think it is about time Douglas Borough Council took action to prevent this from continuing on any further.

Data Tables (1)

Data Tables (reformatted)

Full Response Text

Chief Executive's Office DHA Headquarters Tromode, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM2 5AP

Telephone: (01624) 694313 Fax: (01624) 621298 Web address: www.gov.im/dha Email: GeneralEnquiries.DHA@dha.gov.im

Our ref: 788465 24 April 2019

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 4 April 2019 and which states:

"To whom this may concern, My Name is Mr Lee Skillicorn, I would like to ask for the relevant details of Isle Of Man Fire and Rescue Service call outs to the Lord Street flats block 1 Murray's house through to block 4 Athol House Douglas between the dates of 01/04/18 and 02/04/19. I would like to request the information for the following. The total number of call outs found to be down to Circuit board faults. The total number of call outs found to have been Set off by an unknown cause or persons due to without actual cause or reason. The total number of call outs for Actual events for where a person has had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The reason I am requesting this information is I live in Block 2, Hills House Lord street and on the 01/04/2019 Isle Of Man Fire And Rescue Service were called out due to the Alarms going off at around 8pm which supposedly had been set off by a number of unknown youths who apparently ran off down South Quay. Upon speaking with several of the residents in the blocks, it was agreed that this has gone on for too long now and we are all getting very tired of having to leave our flats due to system faults that set the Alarms off or unknown persons deliberately setting the alarm off for unknown reasons. It is that bad that I would say an estimated 80% of the residents no longer leave their flats when the alarm goes off as they put it down to yet another fault or a non urgent

matter, this one day could potentially cost somebody their lives. I would like to request this information so I can take it to the next meeting with Douglas Borough council and Isle Of Man Constabulary at the end of the month. We think it is about time Douglas Borough Council took action to prevent this from continuing on any further."

Our response to your request is as follows: The total number of call outs found to be down to Circuit board faults. 2 (this is system faults) The total number of call outs found to have been Set off by an unknown cause or persons due to without actual cause or reason. 8 The total number of call outs for Actual events for where a person has had to be treated for smoke inhalation. 0 .

Please quote the reference number 788465 in any future communications.

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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.

Yours sincerely