The California Fire Code and local ordinances allows the fire code official to require a fire watch be put into effect when a fire & life safety system is out of service. This fire watch is a way to provide prompt notification of a fire for both the occupants of the structure and the responding fire crews.

The requirements assigned to the individual preforming the fire watch is to provide a regular patrol of the property, a working knowledge of the available fire extinguisher(s), and a means of notifying both occupants and emergency response as soon as any fire are discovered.

If a fire inspector determines that a fire watch is warranted to provide coverage over a void in a faulty of failed system, then the owner of the business and/or building will be responsible to provide an adequate level of fire watch. This can come in the form of reassigned staff (now dedicated away from all other duties) or hiring a security firm to provide 24-hour coverage. This must last, as specified by the inspector, until the system is put back in service. 

Failure to provide a fire watch may result in additional fines and fees, contact the Deputy Fire Marshal at 415-878-2641.

For the Fire Watch guidelines & Logs, please click here.