THE ECONOMIC COST OF DISRUPTION CAUSED BY UNWANTED AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARMS

live webinar

Presented by Mark Whybro (Fire and Rescue NSW)

Thursday 28 January 2021

Time: 10:00am (Melbourne daylight savings time)
Duration: 1 hour
Via Zoom webinar link

Cost

Free to attend

Each day in New South Wales there are on average 120 false automatic fire alarm (AFA) activations, with Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) responding to more than 45,000 in FY 2019-2020. AFAs are a key safety feature of modern buildings and facilities, providing early warning to occupants and automatic notification to fire services for higher risk premises. Unwanted activations, however, potentially divert fire crews from genuine emergencies, and can cause disruptions to business, individuals and the broader community.

While FRNSW had a good understanding of its response and administrative costs from unwanted alarms, the broader economic costs have not been well researched, either within Australia or internationally. FRNSW partnered with Western Sydney University in a study that provides an up-to-date calculation of the cumulative costs of unwanted alarms and the resultant disruption to the community, industry, commerce, governments, the motoring public and the economy of NSW.

Mark Whybro (Fire and Rescue NSW)

Assistant Commissioner Whybro joined the NSW Fire Brigades in 1981 and has extensive experience in emergency and risk management. He established the Operational Safety Coordinator position and since 2007, has chaired the national Triple Zero Awareness Work Group. 

He was appointed Assistant Commissioner in 2009 and has served in the Community Safety Directorate since 2011, leading FRNSW's prevention and community education programs, regulatory and advisory functions in the built environment, fire investigation, fire and human behaviour research, Automatic Fire Alarm unwanted alarms reduction and commercial emergency safety training.

Mark holds a Masters Degree in Business and Technology and a Bachelor of Arts Degree majoring in Government and Political Science. He is a Graduate of the Institution of Fire Engineers and is a qualified Occupational Health and Safety Auditor. He has been awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal, the National Medal and two Clasps and the NSW Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with two Clasps.