Fire Watch Guards - Your First Line of Defense Against Fires

Help keep your business safe from the threat of fire!

Photo by Vladimir Shipitsin

(SALEM, Ore.) - Fire watch guards keep your business and employees safe from the threat of fires. They maintain fire suppression equipment, monitor buildings for risks and emergencies, and keep extensive logs.

A fire can cause massive damage to a business and destroy lives. A fire alarm, sprinkler system, and fire extinguisher are not enough to protect your business and employees from a fire.

Detecting Fires

Event fire watch security also performs on-site inspections to verify safety and fire-fighting equipment are up-to-date and working properly. This includes checking that the fire alarms and sprinkler systems are in good working order, hydrants are accessible, and exit doors and emergency routes are not blocked or locked.

Depending on the extent of the risk, guards make rounds around the clock at predetermined intervals until the danger is mitigated. This is done to detect and report any suspicious activity or hazards. These reports are then shared with insurance providers and local code enforcement.

Suppressing Fires

If this is the case, your property will require a fire watch guard to ensure the safety of all employees and visitors. They monitor the building and identify potential hazards before they become dangerous.

In addition to identifying fire hazards, Fire Watch Guards also monitor the condition of your business’s fire suppression systems and equipment. They can help detect any areas where the sprinklers are not working or where there is an overheating issue with your sprinklers.

During their patrols, fire watch guards will continuously cover all common areas, corridors, and mechanical and storage rooms on every floor of your business. They will inspect each room for fire signs or other possible hazards. They will then alert the fire department and protect the system company in an emergency.

Evacuating the Building

Evacuate in an orderly manner using the exit stairwells that have been designed with fire-rated walls and self-closing doors to keep you safe until you are safely out of the building. Stay away from blocked exits, hazardous areas, and any combustible material.

If you cannot escape via the exit stairwell, go to the nearest fire- and smoke-free stairway or room with an outside window. When you leave the building, move quickly to a place away from the fire, smoke, power lines, and roadways. You should also gather at a safe assembly area if you have one.

Reporting Fires

Construction and industrial sites that involve welding, hot work, or combustible materials, as well as apartments and commercial facilities, must also have fire watches.

These watches are a great way to ensure the safety of people on the premises while they’re doing their work, and the guards are OSHA-certified, so they can be sure to sound the alarms if they detect any flames or sparks.

Source: Salem-News.com Special Features Dept.