Smarter Fire Prevention in the North West
What Merseyside’s Data-Driven Approach Can Teach Us All
When we think about fire safety, it’s easy to picture flashing lights and emergency response. But the real success stories in fire protection often happen before the alarm sounds — in prevention, data, and local engagement.
A recent study by the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service (MFRS) highlights just how effective a targeted, community-led approach to prevention can be. Using data and insight to identify higher-risk households, MFRS has been able to focus its home fire-safety efforts where they matter most — saving lives and reducing incidents across the region.
At Fletcher Risk, we believe this kind of proactive, evidence-based thinking is just as valuable for landlords, housing providers, and businesses as it is for fire services.
🔍 What Merseyside did differently
The Merseyside model, detailed in the research paper “Fire Prevention Targeting by Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service in the UK” (SpringerLink), focused on one simple but powerful question:
Where are fires most likely to happen — and who is most at risk?
Using social, spatial, and lifestyle data, the service built a risk profile for different neighbourhoods, identifying households where a fire would have the highest potential impact.
Teams then used this information to prioritise Home Fire Safety Checks (HFSCs) — visiting properties to fit smoke alarms, discuss safe use of heaters and electrics, and help residents reduce hazards before they cause harm.
Rather than spreading resources evenly, MFRS directed them where they could do the most good.
📊 Results and impact
The study found that this targeted prevention model is not only more effective but more efficient. By focusing on high-risk homes, the service reduced both the number and severity of domestic fires — while strengthening relationships with communities that might otherwise be hard to reach.
The approach also proved that prevention isn’t just about education — it’s about using data to predict and prevent incidents before they happen.
🧠 Lessons for landlords and building managers
The same principles can apply to any organisation with fire-safety responsibilities. Whether you manage a housing portfolio, a care home, or a university building, it pays to be proactive.
Here’s what we can learn from Merseyside’s example:
Know your risks
Don’t treat every property or department the same. Older buildings, vulnerable occupants, or high-activity areas all carry different levels of fire risk.Target your effort
Focus inspection, maintenance, and training where they have the greatest impact — such as kitchens, plant rooms, or high-occupancy spaces.Use data, not guesswork
Even simple records (alarm activations, near-misses, or maintenance reports) can help you spot patterns and take action early.Engage the people who use the space
MFRS’s success came from working with residents, not just enforcing rules. In workplaces, that means talking to staff, tenants, or contractors about how they use the building — and what they notice.Review and adapt
Risks change over time. Revisiting your Fire Risk Assessment annually ensures you stay ahead of new hazards.
🧩 The power of proactive fire safety
Fire protection doesn’t start with a siren — it starts with insight.
The Merseyside case study shows that prevention is most effective when it’s personalised and evidence-led.
For building owners and Responsible Persons, this means looking beyond compliance to understand the real-world risk picture of your property — who uses it, how, and when.
That mindset shift can save money, protect property, and most importantly, save lives.
🔧 How Fletcher Risk can help
At Fletcher Risk, we help organisations build that same proactive approach into their fire-safety management.
Our services include:
Fire Risk Assessments tailored to your property type and occupancy profile.
Data-driven recommendations, focusing your time and budget on the highest-risk areas.
Ongoing review and monitoring, ensuring fire safety improves over time — not just at inspection.
Training and awareness, helping your people become part of the prevention effort.
We’re proud to support the same principle Merseyside demonstrated: that smarter, targeted prevention keeps everyone safer.
🔑 The key takeaway
The Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service case study proves that prevention isn’t just good practice — it’s measurable, effective, and life-saving.
By understanding your risks, targeting your effort, and engaging the people who use your buildings, you can turn fire safety from a compliance task into a genuine safety culture.
👉 Contact us to learn how Fletcher Risk can help you build a proactive fire-safety strategy for your organisation.
Fletcher Risk Team - 8 November 2025
Disclaimer:
This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Fire-safety requirements may vary depending on your building and local authority. For specific guidance or a formal Fire Risk Assessment, please contact Fletcher Risk or a qualified fire-safety professional.