Annual Report 2023-24

Our vision is a Cheshire with zero deaths, injuries and damage from fires and other emergencies. Over the past 12 months, our dedicated firefighters, community safety colleagues and fire staff have worked hard towards achieving that goal.

This page presents an overview of our key performance measures. If you would like to explore any of these figures or our performance in other areas in more detail, you can find them in the report presented to Cheshire Fire Authority’s Performance and Overview Committee in July 2024.

Incidents we attend

In spite of the population of Cheshire increasing, the number of incidents we attend continues to fall overall. For example, compared with 2022/23, we attend almost 500 fewer fires. We attended five fewer road traffic collisions, year on year.

The remaining incidents include responses to automatic fire alarms (which we’re working to reduce), deliberate fires, rescues of people from water or height, animal rescues and assisting other agencies such as the ambulance service.

If you’re interested in the incidents we attend, why not follow our live incident feed?

Saving lives

The number of accidental house fires we attended fell by 12 compared with 2022/24. The number that started in the kitchen fell by 4% and those that were cooking related by 2%. Other common causes of house fires include electrical faults, smoking and domestic appliances.

There was one fewer fire death and 11 fewer fire injuries in 2023/24 compared with the previous year. It should be noted that not all deaths and injuries happen in a domestic setting.

Protecting lives and property

Safe and Well visits are our flagship community safety intervention. Our prevention team and firefighters hit their target of increasing the number of visits to most people at risk of fire by more than 6,000.

Meanwhile, our business safety inspectors, business safety team and firefighters hit their targets for engaging with non-domestic premises through an ambitious programme of inspections, audits and engagement events.

Changing lives

Over 1,000 more children, young people and older people visited Safety Central, our immersive safety and life skills education centre, during 2023/24.

More than 150 young people took part in our Prince’s Trust Team Programme and 121 in our fire cadet scheme, both of which operate from some of our fire stations.

Our volunteer programme also continued to go from strength to strength.

Value for money

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service cost just under £52m in 2023/24, funded from a combination of council tax, business rates and central government grants.

Much more detail about our income and expenditure can be found in our Statement of Accounts. You can also read about how we intend to become even more efficient and productive.

Our people

Did you know that Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is now more diverse than ever before? This enables to better and understand and serve our communities, and ensures we are a safe, positive and inclusive place to work or volunteer.

Take a look at our latest Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report and Gender Pay Gap Report for more information.

Cheshire Fire Authority

The Fire Authority is the publicly accountable body that manages Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. It comprises 23 elected members (or councillors) who represent the our four local authorities of Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, and Warrington.