Fire Watch Security

What Fire Watch Is and Who Needs It

A fire watch is a temporary patrol that a local fire authority may require when a building’s fire alarm or sprinkler system is out of service, or during work that raises fire risk. The officer patrols, keeps a log and raises the alarm if a fire is found. MGP provides fire watch to property owners, retailers and facility managers who need coverage until their systems are restored.

Fire watch officers are not firefighters. They do not suppress fires, and they do not certify code compliance.

Where Coverage Applies

• Retail stores and flagships
• Warehouses and distribution centers
• Corporate offices and lobbies
• Commercial buildings and venues
• Buildings under repair or renovation

What Officers Do on a Normal Shift

• Patrol the areas named in the Post Orders at the set interval
• Record each round in a fire watch log with the time and conditions found
• Check that exits, stairways and paths of travel are clear and report obstructions
• Report smoke, odors and other hazards to the site contact
• If a fire is found, call the fire department and alert occupants under the site’s emergency plan
• Keep the log available for the client and the fire authority

How Post Orders Are Set Up

Post Orders are written for each location around its layout, hours and risk. For a fire watch, they set the patrol route, the round interval, the log format, the alarm and evacuation steps and the people to call. Those requirements are set by the local fire authority. The client should confirm the authority’s requirements before coverage begins so MGP can write them into the Post Orders.

Supervision, Reporting and Escalation

Fire watch logs and incident reports are kept in the same format as every other MGP post.

• The Operations Desk answers 24/7/365, and calls reach a live person in English or Spanish.
• Every shift starts with a GPS-confirmed clock-in.
• Incidents are documented on scene, time-stamped and GPS-verified, with photographs.
• Supervisors make unannounced site visits to check presentation and adherence to Post Orders.
• Coverage and incidents are reviewed with the client in a Monthly Operational Review and a Quarterly Business Review.

Officer Classification

MGP staffs posts by tier under the Officer Classification Program. Fire watch posts typically fit Tier I, whose officers hold a state-issued security license and complete site-specific field training. Tier II officers can be assigned where the client wants more experience on post. Fire watch does not normally call for an armed officer. Armed posts are filled only with Tier III retired law enforcement officers or Tier IV off-duty officers where permitted.

Limitations and Dependencies

• Officers are not firefighters and do not fight or suppress fires.
• Officers do not inspect, test, repair or certify fire alarm, sprinkler or other fire protection systems, and they do not certify code compliance.
• Fire watch requirements, including round frequency and any certificate the watch officer must hold, are set by the local fire authority. The client should confirm those requirements with the authority.
• A fire watch does not replace a working fire protection system or the owner’s duty to restore it.
• Officers summon law enforcement rather than intervene physically, except where both the law and the Post Orders for that assignment authorize otherwise.

Availability

MGP provides coverage in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, with operations in Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, Ireland, continental Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Every market runs on the MGP hybrid delivery model: MGP-employed officers where the firm has an internal presence and vetted local affiliate partners elsewhere, held to the same screening, training, insurance and reporting standards. The service implementation plan for each site is agreed before work begins. Availability also depends on local licensing and any certificate the fire authority requires. See Service Areas for current markets.

Fire Watch in New York City

New York City has its own rules. The FDNY requires fire guards who hold a Certificate of Fitness. See Fire Watch and Fire Guard Services in New York City.