- What is Fire Watch in Schools?
- Compliance Requirements for Schools
- Responsibilities of Fire Watch Guards
- Minimizing Disruption to Learning
- Contact National Firewatch
Across the USA, many industries are seeing an increased need for fire watch deployments during outages or while conducting “Hot Work”. Wildfire risks and extreme weather events are fueling the heightened requirement, made more acute as insurers, municipalities, and investors seek ways to limit their liabilities and ensure compliance. In this environment of increased scrutiny, America’s educational institutions are of particular interest to fire marshals.
Maintaining safety and compliance is a top priority for schools, colleges, and universities. When fire protection systems are offline or compromised, fire watch guards are required on-site to protect students, staff, and property. Schools face unique challenges during these periods, whether due to system outages, maintenance, or hot work activities. Understanding the fire watch process and compliance requirements is key to minimizing risk and ensuring the safety of everyone on campus. We’ve put together this short read to help folks in our network understand fire watch requirements for schools, and connect you with the resources you’ll need for same-day fire watch service.
What is Fire Watch in Schools?
A fire watch is a temporary measure required when fire alarm systems, sprinklers, or other safety mechanisms are out of service. It involves assigning trained guards or personnel to monitor the premises for signs of fire or hazardous conditions. Only dedicated personnel can conduct fire watch; staff members cannot be reassigned to this role. That means fire watch guards are usually needed in a hurry, as their absence could result in an evacuation order.
In schools, fire watch duties may be triggered by:
- Construction or hot work (e.g., welding, soldering)
- Scheduled system maintenance or upgrades
- Fire code violations that require correction
- Unplanned equipment outages
Compliance Requirements for Schools
Fire watch requirements are typically governed by local fire codes and enforced by fire marshals. Schools must ensure the following to remain in compliance:
- Notification: Inform the local fire department and school administration when a fire watch is initiated.
- Trained Personnel: Assign qualified individuals to conduct patrols and monitor all affected areas.
- Documentation: Keep accurate logs of patrol times, findings, and any incidents.
- Coverage: Ensure complete coverage of all vulnerable areas, including classrooms, labs, storage, and mechanical rooms.
- Duration: Maintain fire watch duties continuously until the fire protection system is fully operational.
- Emergency Procedures: Establish clear protocols for evacuation and emergency response.
Responsibilities of Fire Watch Guards
Fire watch guards play a critical role during system downtime. Their responsibilities include:
- Checking for fire hazards such as blocked exits or flammable materials
- Communicating with school officials and first responders as needed
- Reporting and addressing safety violations immediately
- Conducting regular patrols (often every 15-30 minutes)
Having trained fire watch personnel ensures compliance and provides peace of mind during periods of elevated risk.
Minimizing Disruption to Learning
While safety is paramount, schools must also consider the impact of a fire watch on daily operations. Coordination between maintenance teams, security staff, and administrators helps minimize disruption. Schools should:
- Use signage and access restrictions to keep monitored areas secure
- Schedule maintenance during off-peak hours or school breaks
- Clearly communicate with teachers, students, and parents
Contact National Firewatch
When fire watch guards are needed, they’ll be needed immediately. Planned renovations may have ample lead time, but an outage can happen in the middle of the school day. Having a reliable, vetted fire watch partner in advance is the best way to prevent a disruption in learning.
National Firewatch—and our parent company, The Guard Alliance—have assisted hundreds of schools, colleges, and universities nationwide with their fire watch needs. If your campus requires fire watch guards on-site today, contact us immediately.