Renfrewshire Local Authority Scrutiny Report 2025_26 Q1 Final
Renfrewshire Council · 19 August 2025
Back to Police and Fire and Rescue Scrutiny Sub-Committee — 19 August 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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2025-26 Q1 All Renfrewshire Scrutiny Report 2025-26 Q1 Renfrewshire
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202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on 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. 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 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 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Contents Scrutiny Report 2025-26 Q1 Renfrewshire
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1. Summary 295 Fires 142 296 False Alarms 733 43 10 1 Fire Fatalities 19 3 94 UFAS 202528/07/25 © 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 Fire (Outdoor) False Alarm (Due to Apparatus) False Alarm (UFAS) False Alarm (Good Intent) Fire (Building) Inter-Agency Flooding / Water Rescue Vehicle (Non-fire) Humanitarian Other Non-Fire 226 106 94 80 56 50 27 21 20 20 2025-26 Q1 Home Fire Safety Visits Total Incidents (Incl. Incompletes) 178 72 Fire Safety Audits - There was sadly 1 Fatality as a result of a Fire within the Paisley East and Central Ward. - Fire (Outdoor) Incidents totalled 226, which is a 16% increase when compared to the same quarter over a 4-year period. - Fire (Building) Incidents seen a reduction from 66 in Q1 last year, to 56 this year.
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2. Trends 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Accidental Dwelling Fires 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 2025-26 Q1 43 28 47 1524 3841 3232 32 36 35 36 36 36 32 Deliberate Fires 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 2025-26 Q1 153 195 218 82 163 98 9686 135 98 117131 136 107 138 123 Non-Domestic Fires 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 2025-26 Q1 7 14 20 8 17 8 8 9 1111 11 10 9109 13 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals 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 2025-26 Q1 253 94 318 100 228 283 123118 95 245 108 262 284 102 268 112 Road Traffic Collisions 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 2025-26 Q1 15 20 23 9 23 11 14 18 15 15 18 18 15 15 18 19 Previous 16 quarters (4 years)
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3. Accidental Dwelling Fires Extent of Damage Incidents Not applicable 12 Limited to item 1st ignited 9 Limited to floor of origin (not whole building) 4 Limited to room of origin 3 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Source of Ignition (Top 10) Cooking appliance Electricity supply Not known Other domestic style appliance Smoking Related Heating equipment Naked flame 12 7 3 2 2 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 20 30 40 50 28 Accidental Dwelling Fires in this period 2025-26 Q1 Incidents by Ward Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley East & Central Paisley Northeast & Ralston Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Paisley Northwest Paisley Southeast Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Erskine & Inchinnan Johnstone South & Elderslie Paisley Southwest Renfrew North & Braehead 6 4 4 3 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 - 12 of these fires were attributable to cooking, with 7 being attributable to electrical supply within the home. - Community safety education initiatives that focus on safe cooking practices continue to be a priority for SFRS, both nationally, via media campaigns, and locally, as a part of our Home Fire Safety Visits - Of those 28, 9 were limited to the item first ignited and 7 were limited to the room or floor of origin, as a result of the intervention by SFRS operational crews. - There were 28 Accidental Dwelling Fires in the 1st quarter of 2025/26.
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4. Accidental Dwelling Fire Casualties Non-Fatal Casualties 8 Fatal Casualties 1 Nature of Injury/Cause of Death Casualties Not known 9 Following any fatality, or serious injury caused by fire in a domestic premise, a comprehensive Post Domestic Incident Response (PDIR) is carried out to offer reassurance to the local community and offer a Home Fire Safety Visit (HFSV) and/ or advice to those who meet the criteria. SFRS Fire Investigation team work in conjunction with our Police Scotland Colleagues to identify the cause of the fire, along with any contributing factors. The SFRS Prevention team and local Station Commander then liaise with Social Work and any other relevant partner to identify areas of shared learning. 15 people were rescued from fire by Firefighters in Q1. 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Casualties by Ward Paisley East & Central 9 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 0 5 10 15 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 0 5 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 3 Hospital Serious Injuries 2025-26 Q1
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5. Non-Fire Casualties 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on There were 3 x fatalities at incidents not involving Fire (Special Services): 1 x Water Rescue, 1 x Assist Other Agencies & 1 x Road Traffic Collision (RTC). 19 x Non-Fatal Casualties in Q1, which replicates Q1 last year. 28 People were rescued by Firefighters, down slightly on the 32 rescued in Q1 last year. Casualties by Ward Paisley Northwest Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley Northeast & Ralston Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langb… Renfrew North & Braehead Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley Southeast 7 6 3 2 2 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 20 30 Non-Fatal Casualties 19 Fatal Casualties 3 28 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 1 15 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 3 Hospital Serious Injuries Nature of Injury/Cause of Death Casualties Back / Neck injury (spinal) 4 Chest / Abdominal injury 4 Cuts/Lacerations 2 Head injury 2 Other 2 Other medical condition 2 Bruising 1 Chest pain / Heart condition / Cardiac arrest 1 Collapse 1 Drowning 1 Hypothermia 1 Not known 1 2025-26 Q1
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6. Deliberate Fires Property Type Incident Grassland, woodland and crops 73 Refuse 71 Other outdoors (including land) 27 Road Vehicle 7 Dwelling 5 Outdoor structures 4 Non Residential 3 Other Residential 3 Outdoor equipment and machinery 2 195 Deliberate Fires for Q1 is a 9% increase when compared to Q1 averaged over a 4-year period. Our Community Action Team (CAT) continues to engage with local residents to offer reassurance and safety advice, whilst delivering targeted engagement initiatives in high activity areas as part of our overall Prevention Strategy. 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 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Johnstone South & Elderslie Paisley Northwest Paisley Southwest Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley East & Central Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Erskine & Inchinnan Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley Southeast Paisley Northeast & Ralston Renfrew North & Braehead 29 26 22 20 17 15 15 14 12 11 8 6 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 100 150 200 195 Deliberate Fires in this period 2025-26 Q1
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7. Non-Domestic Fires Top 15 Property Types Property Type Incidents Residential Home 4 Retail 4 Industrial Manufacturing 2 Education 1 Food and Drink 1 Transport buildings 1 Warehouses and bulk storage 1 Our Protection team continues to audit non-domestic premises covered under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 to ensure compliance and offer support, where required. Post-Fire audits are carried out to identify compliance with legislative requirements and to identify any learning, which may help prevent similar incidents in the future. 13 (92.9%) 1 (7.1%) Accidental Deliberate 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Erskine & Inchinnan Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Paisley East & Central Paisley Northwest Renfrew South & Gallowhill Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley Southwest Renfrew North & Braehead 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 Extent of Damage Not applicable Limited to item 1st ignited Limited to floor of origin (not whole building) Limited to room of origin Roof space and other floors(s) 8 3 1 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 15 20 14 Non-Domestic Fires in this period 2025-26 Q1
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8. Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals Top 15 Property Types Property Type Incidents Residential Home 39 Hospitals and medical care 20 Sheltered Housing - not self contained 13 Hotel/motel 9 Student Hall of Residence 4 Education 2 Offices and call centres 2 Car Parks 1 Hostel (e.g. for homeless people) 1 Public admin, security and safety 1 Retail 1 Warehouses and bulk storage 1 SFRS responded to 95 UFAS incidents in Renfrewshire throughout Q1, with residential homes and hospitals being the most frequent sources. Efforts to reduce false alarms through policy adjustments and improved alarm system management continue to enhance operational efficiency. Our response to Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals (UFAS) changed as of July 1 2023. This change helps mitigate the need for unnecessary blue light journeys, improving resource availability, reducing the environmental impact and creating availability to focus on community safety initiatives. It also minimises unnecessary disruption to business. Where we attend, we seek to engage and educate with the responsible person to minimise future attendances. 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Paisley Northwest Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Paisley Southeast Paisley East & Central Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwoo… Johnstone South & Elderslie Erskine & Inchinnan Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Renfrew North & Braehead Renfrew South & Gallowhill Paisley Northeast & Ralston Paisley Southwest 28 16 14 8 6 6 4 4 3 3 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 100 200 300 94 Unwanted Fire Alarm Signals in this period 2025-26 Q1
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9. Road Traffic Collisions Operational crews attended 22 RTCs in Q1, providing rescue and first aid assistance to 13 non-fatal casualties. Sadly, there was 1 fatality as a result of an RTC. Road Safety continues to be a priority, both nationally and locally, and we continue to work with partners to educate road users and pedestrians and we undertake seasonal Road Safety Campaigns. 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on Incidents by Ward Bishopton, Bridge of Weir & Langbank Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood & … Renfrew South & Gallowhill Renfrew North & Braehead Paisley Northwest Houston, Crosslee & Linwood Paisley East & Central Paisley Northeast & Ralston 5 5 4 3 2 1 1 1 Trend by Quarter (4 years) 10 15 20 25 30 22 Road Traffic Collisions in this period Non-Fatal Casualties 13 Fatal Casualties 1 3 People Rescued by Firefighters Extent of Harm (Non-Fatal) 0 10 First Aid Given at Scene Hospital Slight Injuries 3 Hospital Serious Injuries Property Type Incidents Car 16 Multiple Vehicles 4 Bus/coach 1 Van 1 2025-26 Q1 Incident Type Incidents Vehicle (Non-fire) 20 Inter-Agency 2
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10. Home Fire Safety Visits 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on 11. Fire Safety Enforcement SFRS recently introduced a new HFSV system and it is currently being adapted to allow data to be pulled-through into this report. Until such times as this has been finalised, this page will contain key data only. We completed 178 HFSVs in Q1, up from 71 from the previous quarter. 72 Fire Safety Audits were completed by our Prevention (Fire Safety Enforcement) Team. Audits by Ward 2025-26 Q1 HFSVs by Ward Home Fire Safety Visits Declined HFSVs Partner Referral HFSVs 178 27 N/A Fire Safety Audits 72
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12. Community Safety & Engagement Mentoring A number of our colleagues are involved with the mentoring of young people through Career Ready and MCR Pathways. These inspiring mentors help the young people reach their potential by meeting with them at school, or welcoming them into fire stations to speak about different career options and pathways, the world of work, and the skills needed to kickstart a rewarding future. Water Safety Accidental Water-Related Fatalities in 2024: The 2024 figures show that overall water-related fatalities decreased. When compared to Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy (SDPS) baseline and the Six Year Review average, the 2024 figures are below both. Overall water-related fatalities are at their lowest number in Scotland since 2018. Youth Engagement We continue to deliver Fireskills courses throughout ERRI. Young people participate in a packed itinerary including CPR, search and rescue and youth fireground drills. Our partners from Police Scotland also engage with the participants, discussing the impact and consequences of anti-social behaviour. Throughout the week, the Community Action Team are assisted by operational crews who facilitate a RTC demonstration for the participants. This allows the young people to visualise how fire crews approach an RTC. We receive positive feedback from the young people who attend. 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on 2025-26 Q1
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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. 202528/07/25 © Scottish Fire & Rescue ServiceReport generated on
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