Fire watch for retirement homes and communities is now more vital than ever. Persistent drought conditions and wildfires are becoming increasingly common in many parts of the United States. Given the vulnerability of residents in assisted living facilities and the time required for evacuations, decision-makers in retirement communities should partner with a reliable fire watch provider before threats escalate on-site.
We’ve put together this brief guide to help folks in our network understand the types of fire risks unique to retirement homes. The best approach is to be proactive—assess risks at your facility in advance and connect with service providers who can reliably deploy experienced fire watch guards to your location.
Fire Watch for Outages
Every occupied building in America needs adequate fire safety mechanisms to detect and prevent the spread of fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) regulations state that fire watch guards must be deployed if on-site sprinklers or detectors are non-functional for four hours or more.
Your residents’ health and safety are your highest priority. If your building’s fire detection and suppression systems fail, injuries or fatalities could result. Even if fire does not spread, simply having your fire safety systems offline could result in a forced evacuation order from the fire marshal. This could disrupt your residents’ daily routine and cause undue stress.
Ensure your fire safety systems are working—run tests regularly and during periods when the risk of fire or power outages is high. Having a reliable fire watch partner in your region will improve your overall response time. Deploying fire watch guards the moment safety systems go offline can avoid evacuations, disruptions, and fire damage.
Fire Risks in Retirement Communities
The presence of oxygen tanks on-site means that fire risks are inherently greater in retirement communities than in more typical residential settings. This, coupled with residents’ lack of mobility, makes fire risks and evacuations challenging even under ideal circumstances.
As part of your overall risk management strategy, you should regularly survey your property for vulnerabilities and conditions that may increase the fire risk. Professional consultants, risk experts, and fire safety inspectors can help you assess your facility’s level of fire risk so that you can plan accordingly.
Common fire risks include:
Electrical Hazards
Overloaded outlets, defective wiring, and overheated equipment are common causes of workplace fires.
Combustible Materials
Combustible and hazardous materials are common in retirement facilities and can quickly start or spread a fire. Ensure all combustible materials are stored properly, and be sure to review during periods of high fire risk.
Poorly Maintained Equipment
Poorly maintained mechanical and electrical equipment often contributes to the spread of fire.
Blocked or Inadequate Exit Routes
Ensure your access points are clear and accessible. Plan your evacuation routes to accommodate your residents’ mobility needs.
Faulty Heating Equipment
Faulty heating equipment can cause fires to start and spread, even during colder months when the overall fire risk is low.
If your building’s fire risk level increases due to weather or “Hot Work” being conducted on the premises, it may be wise to deploy fire watch guards proactively. Guards can monitor high-risk areas, advise on ways to improve conditions, and notify authorities if the risk level increases. If you know wildfire season or construction projects are on your calendar, fire watch should absolutely be involved.
This is doubly true in rural or remote regions. Conditions on-site may change rapidly, and decision-makers may struggle to find fire watch coverage on short notice. If your region experiences high levels of wildfire or power outages, it is crucial to have a fire watch solution that can be deployed with minimal lead time.
National Firewatch: Here When You Need Us
Our team has proudly provided fire watch services in communities across the USA since 2010. In that time, we’ve observed a common and distressing trend: many retirement facilities do not have a preexisting fire watch partner. This means folks are often reaching out to us with no lead time—guards are needed immediately to comply with the NFPA’s four-hour rule. Depending on your location, it may not be possible to deploy guards within the four-hour window, and facilities may need to be evacuated as a result.
We highly recommend that decision-makers at retirement homes and assisted living facilities contact a reliable fire watch partner before on-site guards are needed. Research service providers in your area and connect with a reputable company that can deploy guards to your location in two hours or less.
With coast-to-coast coverage, National Firewatch—in conjunction with our parent company, The Guard Alliance—can rapidly deploy experienced fire watch guards to most major cities within a couple of hours. We also serve more rural and remote communities than most of our competitors. We hope you’ll contact us before any outages occur at your facility. If you do need same-day service, please contact us immediately.