IOM mulls fire service false alarm callout charges

Those deemed responsible for the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service being called out to false alarms could be billed under newly announced government plans.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) said it was considering whether to charge for the "inappropriate use" of the service's assets.

It said a fee could be issued "where attendance could have been avoided through negligence" as well as those due to "deliberate or reckless acts", "poor systems of work" or "requesting a service that could be supplied by another provider".

Members of the public are invited to submit their thoughts about the draft bill.

The public consultation will gather opinions on the importance of different services, response times, fire safety standards and legal frameworks.

The DHA's plans stressed that genuine 999 calls would not be charged for.

But there could be charges for callouts to:

• false alarms
• flooding caused by some domestic plumbing incidents
• controlled fires that ultimately require assistance to control

The government said charges would not be used for "revenue raising".

Instead, they were designed to be a deterrent and "ensure the island’s limited fire and rescue resources remain ready and available for the reason they exist and are not misused".

The public consultation is available online until 2 January.

Why not follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X? You can also send story ideas to [email protected]