Fire and rescue authorities operational statistics: April 2021 to March 2022

The data presented here should be considered in the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Activity relating to Home Fire Safety Checks and fire safety talks in Schools were significantly reduced during 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when there were periods in which social distancing rules restricted entering of homes or when schools were closed.

During 2021-22 whilst some of these activities have resumed, measures in place to control the spread of COVID-19 at times during the year may still have impacted the figures.

An annual update presenting information on personnel, health and safety, operational activities and fire safety visits.

Fire and rescue authority personnel

There were 2,183 full-time equivalent staff (FTE) and 1,279 retained duty system (RDS) staff employed across the three Welsh Fire and Rescue Authority areas on 31 March 2022. This compares with 2,176 full-time equivalent and 1,244 retained staff on 31 March 2021.

Of the 2,183 FTE staff, over two thirds (1,474) were wholetime firefighters, a similar proportion to

Health and safety

During 2021-22, 12.3 shifts/days were lost per person to sickness for wholetime firefighters and 24.2 shifts/days for fire control staff.

There were 103 injuries sustained by wholetime (including day crew) and retained duty system firefighters in the course of operational and training activities.

Operational activities

During 2021-22 fire control handled over 70,000 calls in Wales, an increase of 9% on 2020-21.

Fire Safety

In 2021-22, Welsh Fire and Rescue Authorities completed 1,876 fire safety audits in non-domestic premises. This represents 2% of known such premises in Wales.

Community fire safety

In 2021-22 the Fire and Rescue Authorities in Wales completed over 30,000 Home Fire Safety Checks; in 83% of these at least one member of the household was identified as displaying a risk.

In 2021-22 the Fire and Rescue Authorities completed over 7,000 Home Fire Safety Checks that also involved completion of non-fire related prevention activity. Around 170 resulted in the Fire and Rescue Authorities making an onward referral to another organisation.