Fire truck call out fee Australia

An unwanted false alarm (UFA) activation is considered to be one where, after investigation by the MFS, it is deemed the situation would not have resulted in any danger to the occupants and premises from fire.

The MFS responds to approximately 9,000 fire alarm system activations per year. Only a very small percentage of these activations were due to a genuine fire.

The MFS may levy a fee if the alarm activation was deemed to be an avoidable unwanted alarm activation.

Refer to the below fact sheets for managing Unwanted False alarms.

Built Environment Section Fact Sheet - Managing Unwanted False Alarms - MFS Monitored

Built Environment Section Fact Sheet - Managing Unwanted False Alarms  Privately Monitored Commercial

Built Environment Section Fact Sheet - Managing Unwanted False Alarms  Privately Monitored Domestic

Waiving an Unwanted False Alarm

If you believe that you have been charged for an unwanted alarm that is unfair or beyond your control, you can apply to the MFS for consideration of a waiver of the unwanted alarm charge.

Owners and their representatives must ensure that their fire alarm system and the entire site it protects is managed effectively to provide fire safety and to reduce preventable false alarms.

In order to avoid being charged for false alarms, businesses need to be vigilant with the assessment, maintenance, and management of the building and fire alarm system.

In developing management systems, the challenge is to foresee any possible problems and implement prevention strategies before a false alarm occurs.

The management of your site may include the following:

Appointment of a responsible person

Does your building or site have an appointed person responsible to oversee the management of the fire alarm system?

Appointing someone to manage the fire alarm system has proved to assist in reducing preventable false alarms. Personnel that have been appointed to this role include:

• site engineers
• building managers
• fire wardens

They should be motivated, authoritative, and receive training in all aspects of your fire alarm system and monitoring equipment.

Procedures for visitors including sub-contractors

Trade activities can regularly generate dust, heat and fumes which may activate smoke detectors. It may be necessary for specific zones or circuits to be isolated prior to work commencing. Proper management of isolations should be a priority during works.

When managing an isolated alarm always use minimum isolation methods. Depending on the length and purpose, an isolation may amount to a disconnection in which case a building permit is required.

Procedures can be implemented to protect your fire alarm system from generating these types of preventable false alarms.

Section 42 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989 allows Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) to charge for the provision of other services, including services in connection with statutory fire safety. These services and their associated charges are prescribed in section 46, section 48 and schedule 2 and schedule 3 of the Fire Brigades Regulation 2014.

The statutory charges are applied in accordance with the Fire Safety Charging Policy and as summarised below:

Initial fire safety report

Estimated cost of development and respective applicable charge:

and $180 for each assessment of a Category 2 fire safety provision.

Final fire safety report

$215 for initial inspection (first two hours) plus $200 for each additional hour (or part), including travelling time, and
$430 for any re-inspection (first two hours) plus $200 for each additional hour (or part), including travelling time, and
$180 for each assessment of a Category 2 fire safety provision.

Fire safety system report

A minimum of two fire brigade members will conduct an inspection.

Meeting

$200 for each hour (or part) per fire brigade member for attendance at the meeting.

Written report (i.e. consultation)

$2,600 for each day (or part) spent by a fire brigade member providing advisory, assessment or consultancy services in respect of State significant infrastructure, Crown building work, or other development.

Other services (e.g. marina inspection)

Terms of service

The charge for each applicable service provision is detailed on the corresponding web-page and provided on each respective application form. Each application form includes an agreement whereby the applicant declares to remit payment of all applicable charges.

The applicant is solely responsible for the payment of the charges incurred, irrespective of whether the applicant was acting on behalf of another person or not.

Local government authorities and consent authorities may be exempt from charges on some services (e.g. consultation). Travelling time includes time spent travelling to and from the premises and is calculated from the nearest regional office (i.e. Greenacre, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo or Queanbeyan).

An invoice will be sent following the provision of service (e.g. report furnished, inspection conducted, meeting held, advice given etc.) and must be paid as per the terms outlined on the invoice received (e.g. within 30 days).

Payment options

FRNSW accepts the following methods of payment for all invoices:

Note: Card payments will incur a surcharge fee of 0.40%.

Failure by the applicant to pay the issued invoice by the time the final reminder notice is due will result in FRNSW pursuing debt recovery action. Additional costs may be imposed when debt recovery action is required to be undertaken.

Applying for waiver or reduction of charges

Section 43 of the Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989 allows the applicant for any service to seek a waiver or reduction of the prescribed charges. Applications are to be made in writing to the FRNSW Commissioner detailing the service and reasons why a waiver or reduction of charge should be considered, including any previous payments made on related services for the given matter.

The request to waive or reduce the charges can only be made after the relevant charge has been applied (i.e. the invoice has been received). The decision to waive or reduce any applicable charges is solely at the discretion of the FRNSW Commissioner.

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