Renfrewshire Local Authority Scrutiny Report Q4 2024-25
Renfrewshire Council · 13 May 2025
Back to Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee — 13 May 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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2024-25 Q4 All Renfrewshire Scrutiny Report 2024-25 Q4 Renfrewshire
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Summary Trends Accidental Dwelling Fires (ADFs) Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties Non-Fire Casualties Deliberate Fires Non-Domestic Fires Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS) Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs) Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs) Fire Safety Enforcement Community Safety & Engagement Glossary of Terms Contents Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 About the statistics within this report The activity totals and other statistics quoted within this report are published in the interests of transparency and openness. They are provisional in nature and subject to change as a result of ongoing quality assurance and review. Because all statistics quoted are provisional there may be a difference in the period totals quoted in our reports after local publication which result from revisions or additions to the data in our systems. The Scottish Government publishes official statistics each year which allow for comparisons to be made over longer periods of time. 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Scrutiny Report 2024-25 Q4 Renfrewshire
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1. Summary 172 Fires 157 268 False Alarms 597 19 2 0 Fire Fatalities 14 5 94 UFAS 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Non-Fire Incidents People Rescued by Firefighters People Receiving First Aid or Hospital Treatment (Non-Fire) People Receiving First Aid or Hospital Treatment (Fires) Non-Fire Fatalities Top 10 Incident Types False Alarm (Due to Apparatus) Fire (Outdoor) False Alarm (UFAS) False Alarm (Good Intent) Fire (Building) Inter-Agency Other Non-Fire Flooding / Water Rescue Humanitarian Fire (Vehicle) 111 101 94 56 51 49 28 26 21 20 2024-25 Q4 40 Fire Safety Audits 104 Home Fire Safety Visits Total Incidents (Incl. Incompletes) • • • • • • • • • • • • Below Highlights an increase or decrease from the same reporting period as last year. Total Incidents: Increased from 526 to 597 — a 13% increase. Fires: Increased from 149 to 172 — a 15% increase. Non-Fire Incidents: Increased from 132 to 157 — an 18% increase. False Alarms: Increased from 245 to 268 — a 9% increase. Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS): Decreased from 108 to 94 — a 12% decrease. Rescues by Firefighters: Decreased from 26 to 19 — a 26% decrease. Fire-Related Hospital Treatments: Decreased from 5 to 2 — a 60% decrease. Fire Fatalities: Unchanged at 0 First Aid / Hospital Treatment (all incidents): Decreased from 22 to 14 — a 36% decrease. Non-Fire Fatalities: Increased from 3 to 5 — a 66% increase. Home Fire Safety Visits: Decreased from 275 to 104 — a 62% decrease. Fire Safety Audits: Increased slightly from 37 to 40 — an 8% increase.
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2. Trends 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Accidental Dwelling Fires 2021-22 Q1 2021-22 Q2 2021-22 Q3 2021-22 Q4 2022-23 Q1 2022-23 Q2 2022-23 Q3 2022-23 Q4 2023-24 Q1 2023-24 Q2 2023-24 Q3 2023-24 Q4 2024-25 Q1 2024-25 Q2 2024-25 Q3 2024-25 Q4 49 32 15 47 24 38 32 41 32 36 35 36 36 36 32 43 Deliberate Fires 2021-22 Q1 2021-22 Q2 2021-22 Q3 2021-22 Q4 2022-23 Q1 2022-23 Q2 2022-23 Q3 2022-23 Q4 2023-24 Q1 2023-24 Q2 2023-24 Q3 2023-24 Q4 2024-25 Q1 2024-25 Q2 2024-25 Q3 2024-25 Q4 242 96 82 98 218 163 86 135 98 117 153 131 136 107 138 123 Non-Domestic Fires 2021-22 Q1 2021-22 Q2 2021-22 Q3 2021-22 Q4 2022-23 Q1 2022-23 Q2 2022-23 Q3 2022-23 Q4 2023-24 Q1 2023-24 Q2 2023-24 Q3 2023-24 Q4 2024-25 Q1 2024-25 Q2 2024-25 Q3 2024-25 Q4 10 9 20 7 8 17 8 9 8 1111 11 10 109 13 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals 2021-22 Q1 2021-22 Q2 2021-22 Q3 2021-22 Q4 2022-23 Q1 2022-23 Q2 2022-23 Q3 2022-23 Q4 2023-24 Q1 2023-24 Q2 2023-24 Q3 2023-24 Q4 2024-25 Q1 2024-25 Q2 2024-25 Q3 2024-25 Q4 207 94 318 100 228 283 123118 245 108 253 262 284 102 268 112 Road Traffic Collisions 2021-22 Q1 2021-22 Q2 2021-22 Q3 2021-22 Q4 2022-23 Q1 2022-23 Q2 2022-23 Q3 2022-23 Q4 2023-24 Q1 2023-24 Q2 2023-24 Q3 2023-24 Q4 2024-25 Q1 2024-25 Q2 2024-25 Q3 2024-25 Q4 14 11 23 9 23 14 18 15 15 18 18 15 1515 18 19 Previous 16 quarters (4 years)
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3. Accidental Dwelling Fires Extent of Damage Incidents Not applicable 19 Limited to item 1st ignited 8 Limited to room of origin 5 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Source of Ignition (Top 10) Cooking appliance Electricity supply Not known Other domestic style appliance Fuel/chemical related Matches and candles Smoking Related 22 3 2 2 1 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 20 30 40 50 32 Accidental Dwelling Fires in this period 2024-25 Q4 Incidents by Ward Paisley Northwest Johnstone South & Elderslie Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Renfrew North & Braehead Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley Northeast & Ralston Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Paisley East & Central Paisley Southwest 9 5 4 3 3 3 2 1 1 1 · Total Incidents: 32 — a 6.6% increase compared to the same period last year. · No Firefighting Action Needed: 21 of 32 incidents. · Cause by Age Group: o Adults aged 18–64: 18 incidents o Adults aged 65+: 6 incidents o Unknown: 8 incidents · Smoke Detection: 26 of 32 properties had alarms installed. · Operational crews and the Community Action Team continue to provide Home Fire Safety Visits and install detection systems where required.
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4. Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties Non-Fatal Casualties 1 Fatal Casualties 0 Nature of Injury/Cause of Death Casualties Overcome by gas, smoke or toxic fumes; asphyxiation 1 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Casualties by Ward Paisley Northwest 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 0 5 10 15 20 2 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 1 0 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 0 Hospital Serious Injuries 2024-25 Q4 · · · Casualties: Reduced from 5 to 1 — a significant decrease from the same period last year. Nature of Injury: The single casualty received oxygen therapy on scene for minor smoke inhalation. Quarter-on-Quarter: A 50% decrease compared to Q3.
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5. Non-Fire Casualties 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Casualties by Ward Paisley Northwest Paisley Southwest Renfrew North & Braehead Erskine & Inchinnan Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, How… Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langb… Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley East & Central Paisley Northeast & Ralston 5 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 20 30 Non-Fatal Casualties 14 Fatal Casualties 5 17 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 3 9 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 2 Hospital Serious Injuries Nature of Injury/Cause of Death Casualties Cuts/Lacerations 3 Head injury 2 Not known 2 Other 2 Other physical injury 2 Back / Neck injury (spinal) 1 Breathing difficulties (Other than 'Overcome by gas, smoke or toxic fumes, asphyxiation') 1 Bruising 1 Chest / Abdominal injury 1 Chest pain / Heart condition / Cardiac arrest 1 Collapse 1 Fracture 1 Other medical condition 1 2024-25 Q4 Non-Fatal Casualties: · Decreased from 22 to 14 for the same period last year. · 9 were related to Road Traffic Collisions (RTCs). · were in support of other agencies. Fatalities Breakdown: · 2 incidents involved agency assistance (including Gas Network, Police Scotland, and Network Rail). · 2 incidents involved welfare concerns/effecting entry. · 1 incident was classified as a suicide.
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6. Deliberate Fires Property Type Incident Refuse 46 Grassland, woodland and crops 22 Other outdoors (including land) 9 Dwelling 6 Outdoor structures 6 Non Residential 3 Road Vehicle 3 Other Residential 1 Hour of Day 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Johnstone South & Elderslie Paisley Southwest Paisley Northwest Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Paisley Southeast Paisley Northeast & Ralston Renfrew South & Gallowhill Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley East & Central Renfrew North & Braehead Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Erskine & Inchinnan 22 19 11 8 8 6 6 5 5 4 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 50 100 150 200 250 96 Deliberate Fires in this period 2024-25 Q4 · · · Deliberate Fire Setting: Up by 10% from the same period last year and 2% from Q3. Secondary Fires: Of the 96 incidents, 77 accounted for deliberate secondary fires Peak Time: Most occurred around 7 PM.
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7. Non-Domestic Fires Top 15 Property Types Property Type Incidents Hospitals and medical care 2 Boarding House/B&B for homeless/asylum seekers 1 Boarding School accommodation 1 Entertainment and culture 1 Food and Drink 1 Industrial Manufacturing 1 Other buildings/use not known 1 Retail 1 6 (66.7%) (33.3%) 3 Accidental Deliberate 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Paisley Northwest Paisley East & Central Renfrew North & Braehead Paisley Southeast 4 2 2 1 Extent of Damage Not applicable Limited to item 1st ignited Limited to room of origin External roof only 4 2 2 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 15 20 9 Non-Domestic Fires in this period 2024-25 Q4 · Decrease of 10% from the same period last year. · No Intervention Required: 6 out of 9 incidents. · The Fire Safety Enforcement Team continues proactive engagement with businesses to uphold fire safety standards.
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8. Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals Top 15 Property Types Property Type Incidents Residential Home 39 Hospitals and medical care 21 Sheltered Housing - not self contained 12 Hotel/motel 7 Student Hall of Residence 3 Education 2 Hostel (e.g. for homeless people) 2 Warehouses and bulk storage 2 Boarding House/B&B other 1 Industrial Manufacturing 1 Offices and call centres 1 Other Residential Home 1 Public admin, security and safety 1 Youth hostel 1 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Paisley Northwest Paisley Southeast Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Renfrew North & Braehead Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwoo… Johnstone South & Elderslie Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley East & Central Paisley Northeast & Ralston Erskine & Inchinnan Houston, Crosslee & Linwood 27 12 11 9 7 7 7 4 4 3 3 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 100 200 300 94 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals in this period 2024-25 Q4 ꞏ Reduction: From 108 to 94 — a 13% decrease from the same period last year. ꞏ Common Causes: Predominantly human error or accidental activations. ꞏ Policy Impact: Since the July 2023 UFAS policy implementation, incidents continue to decline. ꞏ Highest Impacted Premises: Residential care and nursing homes. ꞏ Policy Reminder: SFRS now only attends non-sleeping premises for confirmed fire indications; sleeping premises like hospitals remain unaffected.
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9. Road Traffic Collisions 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Paisley Northwest Renfrew South & Gallowhill Erskine & Inchinnan Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Renfrew North & Braehead Paisley Northeast & Ralston 4 3 2 2 2 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 15 20 25 30 14 Road Traffic Collisions in this period Non-Fatal Casualties 9 Fatal Casualties 0 4 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 1 7 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 1 Hospital Serious Injuries Property Type Incidents Car 11 House - single occupancy 1 Multiple Vehicles 1 Van 1 2024-25 Q4 Incident Type Incidents Vehicle (Non-fire) 11 Fire (Vehicle) 1 Humanitarian 1 Other Non-Fire 1 · Incidents: Decreased by 33% from the same period last year.
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10. Home Fire Safety Visits 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on 11. Fire Safety Enforcement Job Type Count Audit 40 Specific Visit 1 Audits by Ward Paisley East & Central Paisley Northwest Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & Loch… Johnstone South & Elderslie Erskine & Inchinnan Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Paisley Northeast & Ralston Paisley Southeast Renfrew North & Braehead Renfrew South & Gallowhill 10 8 5 5 3 3 2 1 1 1 1 2024-25 Q4 HFSVs by Ward Renfrew North & Braehead Renfrew South & Gallowhill Johnstone South & Elderslie Paisley Northwest Paisley Southeast Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Erskine & Inchinnan Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & Loch… Paisley Southwest Paisley East & Central Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Paisley Northeast & Ralston 17 12 10 10 10 9 8 8 8 6 4 2 Home Fire Safety Visits 104 High Risk HFSVs 42 Partner Referral HFSVs 43
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12. Community Safety & Engagement 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on 2024-25 Q4 MUTHU Update The FSE team in partnership with Renfrewshire Council Building Standards, Renfrewshire Council Environmental health and the Health and Safety Executive issued a prohibition notice on the MUTHU hotel following on site meetings. The fire safety enforcement team will continue to follow up with all partners and duty holders and a full fire safety audit will be carried out prior to the venue opening to public. The venue opening date will be dependent on compliance with fire safety legislation and the prohibition notice being lifted. HFSV In January the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service revised its Home Fire Safety Visit (HFSV) programme. We communicated the changes to senior representatives and partners across Renfrewshire, inviting them to become one of our valued HFSV partners in the new programme. The process is relatively straightforward and to assist with the transition, our Community Action Team arranged a series of information sessions in January, these sessions provided our partners with an overview of the new system, how to sign up to make referrals and afford the opportunity to ask any questions. Signing up to be a HFSV partner requires both parties to understand their specific roles in protecting the data and information that we will have to pass to make and/or receive referrals. This involves the signing of a Data Sharing Framework, which clearly defines the details of the agreement which must be adhered to as per information governance and data protection laws. The new HFSV programme was launched at the end of January 2025 and is progressing well, however, it is important to note that as we are no longer carrying out HFSVs to low-risk householders and this will impact on the total number of visits carried out across Renfrewshire compared to previous years. Where householders do not meet the criteria SFRS will offer bespoke advice based on their level of risk within their household. HFSVs will continue to be a key method for SFRS to meet its statutory duties of providing fire safety advice and information. Renfrewshire Community Safety and Engagement Summary During this reporting period, Renfrewshire Operational Crews and the Community Action Team (CAT) carried out a total of 104 Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs). Of these, 42 were classified as high-risk, and 43 were referrals from our close partner organisations. These visits focused on households identified as being at greater risk from fire, including individuals over the age of 65, those living alone, people with limited mobility or requiring medical oxygen, and individuals affected by alcohol or drug dependency. In addition, we delivered 57 community safety events, with a primary focus on winter safety. These events covered a range of important topics such as water and ice safety, road safety, and the prevention of accidental fires and related casualties in the home. Particular emphasis was placed on households with residents over the age of 65. Our objective remains to reduce the number and severity of accidental house fires and to target HFSVs toward high-risk groups. From 24th to 28th January, the Community Action Team successfully delivered the first post-COVID Fire Skills Course at Renfrew Community Fire Station. This initiative was run in partnership with Renfrewshire Council and the Community Learning and Development team, with support from key agencies including Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service, and the Glasgow Airport Fire Service. The course forms part of a targeted, multi-agency early intervention strategy aimed at reducing fire-related anti-social behaviour. Alongside fire safety education, the programme addressed broader risk issues, such as substance misuse and other high-risk behaviours. Nine young people completed the course, developing vital life skills including CPR, teamwork, citizenship, and mutual respect. They also took part in practical fire service activities designed to encourage personal development and informed decision - making. We extend our sincere thanks to all participating agencies, with special appreciation to Renfrewshire Council for funding this valuable initiative. Recently, our Community Action Team hosted a successful pop-up road safety event at Tesco in Linwood, with a specific focus on older drivers. The event aimed to raise awareness of safe driving habits and provide tailored information for more experienced motorists. We engaged with over 100 members of the public, aged between 20 and 70, with a strong focus on those aged 50 and above. The event facilitated meaningful conversations, shared vital road safety resources, and promoted responsible driving throughout the community. The positive response underlined the importance of continuous education and engagement for drivers of all ages. Our Enforcement Team conducted 40 fire safety audits at the highest-risk premises across Renfrewshire. In addition, they carried out 6 post-fire audits, which involved working directly with duty holders to assess current fire safety procedures and help prevent future incidents. The team also participated in the St Mirren Safety Advisory Group, a multi-agency forum focused on improving safety and emergency evacuation strategies. As part of the SFRS Winter Safety Campaign, targeted visits were made to 12 retail premises across Renfrewshire to reduce the risk of fire in commercial refuse storage areas. The team also responded to 9 premises identified through local intelligence as potential fire hazards, providing advice and guidance to responsible persons on preventative fire safety measures.
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13. Glossary of Terms Term - What it means ADF Accidental Dwelling Fire. HFSV Home Fire Safety Visit. PDIR Post Domestic Incident Response, a term used to indicate actions taken following attendance at a fire or other incident in the home. PDIRs include amongst things the offer of a free follow up home fire safety visit. RTC Road Traffic Collision. Special Service Calls to incidents which are not fires or false alarms such as RTCs, rescues, flooding, incidents involving hazardous materials or the provision of assistance to other agencies. UFAS Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals. When an automatic fire detection and alarm system is activated as a result of anything other than an actual fire the activation is classed as a false alarm. If an attendance is made to such an event by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, then the event is recorded as an UFAS incident. UFAS Policy Change In response to COVID, on the 6th May 2020, the SFRS decided to send 1 pump to UFAS premises that did not have their own Predetermined attendance (PDA). As of 1st July 2023, the COVID interim 1 pump response was ended and a new UFAS policy was implemented. The new policy is to call challenge all UFAS incidents with the intention of non-attendance. Hospitals, care homes, and sleeping risk premises are all exempt and receive either 2 pumps or their premise specific PDA. 202522/04/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on
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Design, figures and charts by the Business Intelligence team.