When is an Active Fire Watch required?

Jones Smith
4 Min Read
A firefighter extinguishes a forest fire near the town of Manavgat, east of the resort city of Antalya, Turkey, July 30, 2021. REUTERS/Kaan Soyturk

Active Fire Watch is often misunderstood and therefore considered to be one of the most underrated fire protection techniques. But to be honest, one of the easiest ways to ensure property security is only organized by a fire protection officer from a professional security company is one of the easiest ways. In addition to this, when constructing a new building, you must ensure to get Intumescent Fireproofing done for the safety all the people who will be using the building.

Active fire services by fire watch guards often include continuous patrols in all areas of the building affected by damage. Fire stations carefully look for signs of smoke, fire, or other abnormal conditions. If they discover a life-threatening situation, they are trained to act immediately with rescue workers, alert the residents of the emergency and help with the evacuation.

The real question, however, remains: under what circumstances is an active fire watch required? So here is a short list that you should know about.

Fire alarm system and alarm system not working

A property with a fire alarm system and sprinkler system that is not working or is being repaired or replaced requires an active fire station on the premises until it is fully functional again.

Power outage or water supply failure

Sprinkler-dependent properties may lose their effectiveness due to a water supply failure Planned or unplanned power failure increases the problem that dedicated fire guards are required to protect everyone on the premises until services are fully restored.

Presence of Toxic or Flammable Materials

The presence of toxic or flammable materials dramatically increases the risk of fire. Under such circumstances, active fire watch guards trained in fire protection can minimize the damage.

Hot Work

Burning, welding, or similar work that may cause a fire or explosion in a site must have an active fire watch and this NFPA compliance is not optional.

When building or demolishing a building

Construction and demolition sites are exposed to numerous fire hazards, which is why many state governments require an active fire watch on site until completion. In any case, the fire brigade must immediately inform the fire brigade of an incident at the scene, in addition to documenting the patrol and keeping a fire watch diary for later inspection.

Fire watch services may be required in the following circumstances:

Construction site – There are numerous fire hazards on construction sites, especially when buildings are constructed with wood. Continuous on-site fire protection until the construction work has been completed and an occupancy certificate is available. Compliance also reduces fines and downtime.

The company has a non-functioning alarm system: whether a fire alarm system has not yet been installed in a commercial property or is being repaired or replaced, local ordinances may require on-site surveillance until the system is fully functional.

Water Interruption – If the property is dependent on a sprinkler system, an interruption in the water supply will affect its effectiveness. A fire station may be required to protect property and residents until service is restored.

Existence of Extreme Fire Hazards: Activities such as storing chemicals can dramatically increase the likelihood of a fire. A fire station is trained to minimize the risk in these situations. CLICK HERE

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I am Jones Smith and I am here to share my experience and expertise in writing. I've been writing articles for different publications for more than 6 years. I have a varied range of interests and that's why I love blogging about different topics. In my opinion, blogging is a lot like acting, and I consider writing blog posts as an acting job. I am an entrepreneur by heart and there is nothing big or small when it comes to starting a business.