Fewer fires, more emergency call-outs in 2010

Nearly 41 thousand fires were registered last year; 23 thousand were outside fires. The number of outside fires has not been this low since the late 1980s. The number of emergency call-outs amounted to nearly 44 thousand, an increase by 2 thousand from 2009.

True emergency call-outs fire brigades

More emergency call-outs fire brigades

Fire brigades received nearly 44 thousand requests for help in 2010 versus 42 thousand one year previously.

The months of July and August accounted for 10.5 call-outs in 2010. During this period, violent storms swept across the country, causing serious inconvenience and damage. Nearly one quarter of call-outs concerned flood or storm damage.

Emergency call-outs, 2010*

65 people killed in fires, 495 deaths during call-outs

Last year, 65 people were killed in fires, among whom 1 fire fighter; 35 people perished in house fires. If a longer period is taken into account, the death toll is not high.

Altogether, 495 people died in 2010 in incidents involving fire brigade activities, an increase by 54 relative to 2009, whereas in 1990 the death toll in such incidents amounted to 1,231. One of the reasons for the decrease is the steadily declining number of road traffic deaths.

Again fewer false alarms automatic fire detection systems

False alarms made up 44 percent of all fire brigade call-outs in 2010 and no less than 60 percent of all fire alarms turned out to be false alarms. With 48.5 thousand, automatic fire detection systems accounted for the bulk of false alarms, i.e. 8 percent down on 2009. A relatively high amount of false alarms are received from homes for the elderly and nursing homes.

False alarms received by fire brigades and emergency call-outs

Wim Vissers and Hermanus Rietveld