GREATER Manchester Fire Service is continuing to achieve high levels of performance, according to a report published today.

The Audit Commission's Performance Indicator's report shows that Greater Manchester's fire brigade, the second busiest in the country, attends 93.8 per cent of its fire calls within the period laid down by the Home Office.

The performance figures are in line with a national average of fire brigades which performed well throughout 1994 to 1995.

During the year covered by the report, Greater Manchester coped with 29,770 fires excluding false alarms and 6077 other incidents such as road accidents and people trapped in lifts. In the same period the brigade, which spends £26.64 per head of the region's population, carried out 236 rescues from fires and 558 rescues at other incidents.

The number of false alarms increased from 28,624 the previous year to 29,293, but the number of malicious false alarms was reduced from 11025 to 10.052, continuing a three year downward trend.

Fire Authority Chairman, Cllr Fred Walker said he was very satisfied with the performance. He said: "The figures show a consistently high record of achievement and an overall excellent performance from this brigade which is the second busiest in the country." County Fire Officer, George Almond said: "The figures are similar to the previous year's figures and show Greater Manchester Fire Service to be well up to the national standard.

"I am particularly pleased by the reduction in malicious false alarms which is due to a continued programme of fire safety education."

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