Difference between revisions of "Fire Alarm Fire Watch"

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==Section 3 - FIRE PREVENTION==
 
==Section 3 - FIRE PREVENTION==
===360.01 Fire Alarm Fire Watch===
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===360.01 Life Safety System Impairment - Fire Watch===
  
 
===PURPOSE:===
 
===PURPOSE:===
  
* When a Maitland Fire Rescue crew responds to a building and finds that a fire alarm is out of service, contact should be made with the building representative as soon as possible. If it is determined that the system outage has persisted for longer than 4 hours prior to arrival on scene, or the outage will persist for longer than 4 hours from the time the impairment is found, a fire watch shall be instituted.
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* When a Maitland Fire Rescue crew responds to a building and finds that a fire alarm is out of service, contact should be made with the building representative as soon as possible.  
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'''A fire watch must be established in the following scenarios:'''
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* A fire alarm has been out of service, or is anticipated to be out of service, for more than 8 hours; '''''A fire alarm will be considered out of service if a substantial portion of the system is inoperative or monitoring capabilities are no longer functioning'''''
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* A fire sprinkler system has been out of service, or will be out of service, for more than 10 hours.  
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* An information card shall be provided to the building representative. It is the responsibility of the company officer to acquire the name, phone number, and email address of the individual that is provided the information card. This information shall be furnished to the Fire Marshal as soon as possible.
 
* An information card shall be provided to the building representative. It is the responsibility of the company officer to acquire the name, phone number, and email address of the individual that is provided the information card. This information shall be furnished to the Fire Marshal as soon as possible.
**If crews arrive on scene of an impaired fire alarm system located in a high hazard occupancy such as a multi-family building, ALFs, or other buildings where the company officer feels that variables exists, that may, without a proper fire watch, negatively impact life, property, or the environment, and cannot reach a building representative after multiple attempts, the following procedures shall be followed:
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**If crews arrive on scene of an impaired life safety system located in a high hazard occupancy such as a multi-family building, ALFs, or other buildings where the company officer feels that variables exists, that may, without a proper fire watch, negatively impact life, property, or the environment, and cannot reach a building representative after multiple attempts, the following procedures shall be followed:
 
**Determine if a hazard exists.
 
**Determine if a hazard exists.
 
**Silence the fire alarm.
 
**Silence the fire alarm.
 
**Make multiple attempts to contact building representatives.
 
**Make multiple attempts to contact building representatives.
 
**Contact the on duty Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal to advise of the situation.
 
**Contact the on duty Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal to advise of the situation.
**Contact the monitoring company utilizing the phone number and account number located on the main fire alarm panel or fire alarm dialer located adjacent to the panel and place the system on test for at least 4 hours.
 
**Continue to attempt to reach a building responder by phone.
 
 
**The crew shall remain on scene, and begin fire watch procedures, until a competent individual representing the building has arrived. It is the discretion of the Battalion Chief to rotate crews for the duration of the fire watch, as long as a crew remains on scene at all times.
 
**The crew shall remain on scene, and begin fire watch procedures, until a competent individual representing the building has arrived. It is the discretion of the Battalion Chief to rotate crews for the duration of the fire watch, as long as a crew remains on scene at all times.
***'''If a unit is tasked with fire watch, crews shall physically walk the building and inspect each room, once an hour, and document the date, time, and names of individuals assigned to fire watch.'''
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**During the patrol of the area, fire watch personnel should not only be looking for fire, but making sure that the other fire protection features of the building such as egress routes and alarm systems are available and functioning properly.  
***'''At the conclusion of the fire watch, this information shall be provided to the Fire Marshal.'''
 
  
* If the fire alarm impairment occurs in a building that does not provide a high hazard, and a representative cannot be reach, an email to the Fire Marshal shall be provide immediately indicating the issues found along with the names and phone numbers of the listed contacts for that building.
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* If the fire alarm impairment occurs in a building that does not provide a high hazard, and a representative cannot be reached, an email to the Fire Marshal shall be provided immediately indicating the issues found along with the names and phone numbers of the listed contacts for that building.
* Subject to the Fire Marshal’s discretion, if a building is unoccupied, a fire watch may be waived despite the fire alarm impairment, until the time that the building will again present with a life hazard. For example, a mid-rise commercial office building may not provide fire watch over a weekend, however, prior to the beginning of the work week, either the system shall be restored or a fire watch shall be instituted.
 

Revision as of 06:09, 15 November 2021

Section 3 - FIRE PREVENTION

360.01 Life Safety System Impairment - Fire Watch

PURPOSE:

  • When a Maitland Fire Rescue crew responds to a building and finds that a fire alarm is out of service, contact should be made with the building representative as soon as possible.

A fire watch must be established in the following scenarios:

  • A fire alarm has been out of service, or is anticipated to be out of service, for more than 8 hours; A fire alarm will be considered out of service if a substantial portion of the system is inoperative or monitoring capabilities are no longer functioning
  • A fire sprinkler system has been out of service, or will be out of service, for more than 10 hours.


  • An information card shall be provided to the building representative. It is the responsibility of the company officer to acquire the name, phone number, and email address of the individual that is provided the information card. This information shall be furnished to the Fire Marshal as soon as possible.
    • If crews arrive on scene of an impaired life safety system located in a high hazard occupancy such as a multi-family building, ALFs, or other buildings where the company officer feels that variables exists, that may, without a proper fire watch, negatively impact life, property, or the environment, and cannot reach a building representative after multiple attempts, the following procedures shall be followed:
    • Determine if a hazard exists.
    • Silence the fire alarm.
    • Make multiple attempts to contact building representatives.
    • Contact the on duty Battalion Chief and Fire Marshal to advise of the situation.
    • The crew shall remain on scene, and begin fire watch procedures, until a competent individual representing the building has arrived. It is the discretion of the Battalion Chief to rotate crews for the duration of the fire watch, as long as a crew remains on scene at all times.
    • During the patrol of the area, fire watch personnel should not only be looking for fire, but making sure that the other fire protection features of the building such as egress routes and alarm systems are available and functioning properly.
  • If the fire alarm impairment occurs in a building that does not provide a high hazard, and a representative cannot be reached, an email to the Fire Marshal shall be provided immediately indicating the issues found along with the names and phone numbers of the listed contacts for that building.