Stewartry firefighters respond to nearly three times more false alarms than actual fires
269 incidents were recorded by firefighters between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.
Firefighters dealt with nearly three times more false alarms than actual fires in the Stewartry last year, it has been revealed.
The recently-published annual fire service performance report showed that fire crews received a total of 148 false alarms in the district compared to just 55 blazes.
In total, 269 incidents were recorded by firefighters between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.
The fire service report states: “This figure reflects a 12 percent reduction when compared with the previous reporting year, indicating a positive downward trend in overall incident numbers.
“Of these incidents, 55 were fire-related, representing a 33 percent decrease from the previous year. The reduction was evident across both categories of fire incidents.
“Primary fires showed a 33 percent reduction, and secondary fires demonstrated a further 44 percent reduction.
“In addition to the decline in fire incidents, improvements were also observed in alarm-related activity.
“False alarms decreased by nine percent, and unwanted fire alarm signals (UFAS) incidents reduced by 18 percent over the reporting period.
“Significantly, for the second consecutive year, no fire fatalities were recorded, underscoring the effectiveness of ongoing prevention, education, and response measures.”
Fire service chiefs are expected to attend Stewartry area committee next Wednesday to present the report and take questions from councillors.
Their stats confirm that there were no deaths in any of the 55 blazes last year, but that they attended three non-fire related fatalities.
The report explains: “Although overall casualties have increased during this reporting period, the number of fatal casualties has declined compared to the previous period.
“Much of the rise in casualties is attributable to our teams gaining access to private properties on behalf of partner agencies and providing first aid and trauma care while awaiting their arrival.”
Meanwhile, the number of accidental house fires dropped by 35 percent last year in the Stewartry, which firefighters say reflects “a notable improvement in household fire safety.”
The report states: “Widespread automatic detection systems have played a key role, providing rapid alerts that help ensure timely responses before fires escalate.
“Cooking appliances remain the leading cause of accidental dwelling fires. To tackle this, our teams continue targeted campaigns and community education, promoting safe cooking, raising awareness of home fire risks, and encouraging preventative behaviours.
“These measures are vital to sustaining the decline in accidental dwelling fires and protecting the most vulnerable in our communities.”