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Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service attended 2,046 primary fires in its latest reporting year, compared with 1,774 at Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. Fatalities and non-fatal casualties from primary fires totalled 261 for Devon and Somerset and 209 for Merseyside.

Average time from call to first appliance at a dwelling fire is 9:38 in Devon and Somerset and 6:58 in Merseyside. Response times differ by several minutes, often reflecting geography — larger rural coverage areas mean longer average travel to incidents. On enforcement activity, Merseyside carried out the larger number of fire safety audits over the year (4,152 vs 1,448). Satisfactory-outcome rates were 27% for Devon and Somerset and 76% for Merseyside, covering audits that closed without requiring informal action, formal notice, or prohibition. False alarms make up a notably larger share of call-outs in Devon and Somerset (42% vs 37%).