When to call us, when to call the brigade

The rule is simple but worth saying clearly: if you think the building is on fire, call 999. Always. Don't try to diagnose the panel first. Don't try to silence the alarm. Evacuate, call the brigade, then deal with the system.

Most of the time, the panel is showing something that isn't a fire. That's when this guidance applies.

What the panel is telling you

A fire alarm panel has three normal states:

• Normal — green light, no audible signal. System healthy.
• Fault — yellow light, intermittent buzzer. System has detected an internal problem and may not detect a fire. Reset is not the answer.
• Fire — red light, full sounders, named zone. Treat as real until proven otherwise.

If you have a fire condition and you are sure it is false (toast in the kitchen, contractor smoke, plumber's blowtorch a floor away), follow your evacuation procedure anyway while you investigate, and call 999 if there is any doubt.

When to call us

Call us, not the brigade, when:

• The panel shows a fault condition that is not resolving
• A specific device has been damaged or removed and the system needs reconfiguring
• A false alarm pattern is repeating from the same zone and you need it diagnosed
• You're getting monitoring centre calls overnight and want them reviewed
• A modification is needed before contractor work starts
• A commissioning or takeover visit is due

Our standard callout response is within five working days. Out-of-hours and 4-hour emergency response is available — confirmed in your maintenance contract SLA.

When to call the brigade

Call 999 when:

• You believe there is a fire, including smoke or unusual heat
• You hear sounders and the cause is not immediately and obviously known
• An evacuation is in progress and you have not yet confirmed the cause
• A vulnerable occupant is unaccounted for

Don't reset the panel before the brigade has been on-site if there has been an actuation. The investigators need to see what triggered.

The grey area: monitored systems

If your system is connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), they will contact the fire and rescue service automatically on an unconfirmed signal in some areas, or wait for an alarm verification call in others. Know which model applies to you, and have the ARC's number to hand for the moments when you've confirmed it's false and don't want appliances arriving.

If you don't know how your system is monitored, email hello@eburyfire.co.uk and we'll work it out for you.