Official Statistics

Fire stations dataset guidance

Updated 13 March 2025

Applies to England

Publishing Incident Recording System data on the fire and rescue service at an Incident Level:

Frequency of release: Annual

First publication: 8 February 2018

Latest update: 13 March 2025

Forthcoming releases: Home Office statistics release calendar

Home Office responsible statistician: Helene Clark

Press enquiries: pressoffice@homeoffice.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 123 3535

Public enquiries: firestatistics@homeoffice.gov.uk

1. Background

Data quality

Incident records in the Incident Recording System (IRS) are the responsibility of and quality assured by fire and rescue services (FRSs). The Home Office and FRSs work together to improve the data within the IRS and minimise any inconsistencies or errors.

The quality of the information provided by fire and rescue services is variable and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

Dataset rationale

The Home Office answered a collection of FOIs (Freedom of Information requests) regarding the names and addresses of fire stations in England. This dataset answers these questions in a consistent way that is available to all. Fire stations and their locations will be useful for geographical analyses.

Dataset definition

This dataset covers England only. A fire station is a physical location where firefighting equipment, appliances and/or firefighters can be based, in readiness to respond to incidents. This does not include FRS buildings solely for the use of control staff or headquarters, but would include such sites if they include a physical location where firefighters are based. It does not include volunteer stations. The figures within the dataset reflect the position as at 31 December 2024.

---

2. Variables

Variable Name: FRS_NAME
Variable Description: The FRS in which the incident took place
IRS Question: 1.6

The FRS area in which the station is located.

Variable Name: E_CODE
Variable Description: The E Code of the FRS
IRS Question: 1.6 (based on)

The standard National Statistics code (E Code) of the FRS in FRS_NAME.

Variable Name: STATION_NAME
Variable Description: The name of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3

The name given to the fire station.

Variable Name: STATION_TYPE
Variable Description: The type of fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

The type of fire station.

1. Wholetime - Personnel at this station are full time firefighters.
2. On-call - Also known as Retained Duty System. The personnel at these stations are not full time firefighters.
3. Mixed - A mix of both wholetime and on-call.

Variable Name: STATION_ADDRESS
Variable Description: The postal address of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

The postal address of the fire station.

Variable Name: STATION_POSTCODE
Variable Description: The post code of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

The postcode of the fire station.

Variable Name: STATION_LONGITUDE
Variable Description: The longitude of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

A coordinate that specifies how far east or west the fire station is.

Variable Name: STATION_LATITUDE
Variable Description: The latitude of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

A coordinate that specifies how far north or south the fire station is.

Variable Name: STATION_EASTING
Variable Description: The easting coordinate of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

The easting coordinate of the fire station using the all-numeric grid reference.

Variable Name: STATION_NORTHING
Variable Description: The northing coordinate of the fire station
IRS Question: 1.3 (based on)

The northing coordinate of the fire station using the all-numeric grid reference.