Fire watches are a necessary procedure and act in many situations. Whether a fire security or protection system fails, or there is an excessive amount of accidental activations or nuisance alarms on a property, the owner or representative of the property may be required by the Fire Department to provide a fire watch until the system is repaired and deemed safe.
It is best that the individuals that perform this fire watch are trained professionals that know what to look for and are aware of the most important points when dealing with a fire watch.
A fire watch is also required whenever fire protection systems are in a trouble or are on a supervisory mode for more than eight hours. A nuisance alarm is defined as “any alarm caused by mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, or lack of proper maintenance, or any alarm activated by a cause that cannot be determined.”
It’s important to understand what an owner, or representatives, responsibilities are when the need to or are required to perform a fire watch for a property.
Owners must:
- Establish a fire watch team,
- Notify the monitoring company,
- Notify the Fire Marshal’s Office that the system is not working and again when the system has been repaired. Call the Confidence Testing Unit,
- Contact the repair company to fix the fire protection system(s),
- If a Notice of Violation has been written, contact the local Fire Company when the system has been repaired. Their phone number will be on the Notice of Violation. The local Fire Company may be reached during normal business hours.
We here at Fleet Security and Investigation Services, Inc. are familiar and experienced with what is necessary when a fire watch needs to be performed and can insure everything is done right for you and your property.
