BUSINESSES are being urged to check their fire alarm systems regularly to help combat false alarms.

Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service is called to around 2,000 false alarms every year and most of these are due to systems that are either positioned in unsuitable places or not maintained properly.

Attending calls from automatic fire alarms takes resources away when they are needed in a real emergency and reduces the amount of time crews can spend training or carrying out prevention work, such as home fire safety checks.

Stewart Edgar, Chief Fire Officer at Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “We want to make sure that our time and resources are being used in the best possible way so that we can continue to provide a robust response to real fire emergencies.

“There are just a few simple steps that businesses can take to make sure that their fire alarms are in good working order and that everyone knows what to do to in the case of a serious incident.”

Cllr Will Windsor-Clive, cabinet member for fire and rescue said: “The fire service is a vital part of our county’s emergency response team. It is important that they can assist in real emergencies and we would encourage everyone to ensure their fire alarms are working correctly.”

To check that fire alarms are working correctly you can test your alarms every week by pressing the test button until the alarm sounds, clean them every six months to remove any dust and fluff from the detector, change the batteries every year and change the alarm every 10 years.